Key to the Kingdom
by Ziriuel
Summary: InuYasha is the heir to the kingdom beyond the mountains, Naruku had taken it from him and Kagome is the only one who can help him recover his kingdom. P.S. I don't own InuYasha. ON HIATUS
1. Intoductions

**Introductions**

The wall struck the bare skin of his shoulder blades, his feet dangled a good foot from the ground, a single hand around his throat, he grabbed hold of the wrist of his captor. His claws were small and still slightly soft, they did nothing to the scarred and hard skin of the yorikai.

With glowling eyes and a soft but sinister voice he spoke. "I swear to you, if you ever dare to come _near_ my territory, if I _hear_ your footfalls or _smell_ you drifting on the wind." The voice of his captor growled, "I _will_ kill you, child."

He dropped the little boy on the ground and began to stalk away; his dog ears laying flat against his hair, the boy growled, so deep in his throat that it could barely be heard him. Then scampered away down the alleyway, he soon was out of the city but not out of theterritory the yorikai had claimed. He looked away from the city toward the mountains somewhere beyond those was the end of what he had taken. None on this side of these mountains had dared to cross the western mountains; it was untamed. He looked over his shoulder, his dog like ears flattened against his silver hair.

"I'll come back for you Nuraku," he growled, " I swear I will." He leaped away into the mountains. Leaving the valley was the hardest part, there was no water, no food, life had been stolen by Naraku's maisma's. The child could remember still when it had all been filled with life and the rivers filling the lake. He shook his head, thinking like that would make him all the thirstier and that wouldn't help him in the slightest.

He walked though the husks of trees, he leaned against one of them, it crumbled away under his touch, he whimpered like the child he was. He fell to his knees and flexed his short nails against the dusty ground leaving little impressions. He wanted to stay there, hell he hadn't wanted to leave at all, he wanted to forget what he was, wanting to let it all vanish, or to let time rewind and let him fix it all. In the back of his mind something prodded him, ordering him to get to his feet, refusing to let him die, he grumbled and tried to fight against it, but found it simpler to just obey and not ask questions.

* * *

He stumbled as the angle of his walking changed from an incline to a decline; blinking he fell to his backside and looked down, he'd made it over the mountain, he was on his way to the valley on the other side. The child scooted forward on his stained red bottoms; the white undershirt was equally stained and had begun to wear thin in many places. Slowly he turned his head, as well as his small white canine ears that rested on the top of his head pivoted listening for any signs of being followed or anything beneath him. He leaned back on his hands, the ground was softer and moist in his hands, futher down he could see small plants and deeper there were trees growing on the mountain side.

Defiantly he stood and started once more down the hill. Again he stumbled, this time pitching forward and starting to roll at an alarming rate, he was cut by rocks and thorn bushes that were in his way. He clawed at the ground at first then realized he couldn't do anything so just rolled up in a little ball to lessen the damage. After what seemed like an eternity to him, he slowed and was finally able to stop.

He looked up and saw a great forest; it reeked of yorikai, not of one, but hundreds. It seemed to be as everyone had said no one yorikai commanded this territory it was free range, he stood and stumbled along the boarder of the trees, following this the vague line he came upon a cliff above a lake. He stood on the edge of it, his hands hanging down to his sides, his golden eyes wide with desire for the cool liquid.

He heard the slipping of the ground just before he felt it, the cliff crumbled beneath his feet. He scrambled for the edge pulling away handfuls of dirt and grass, he just managed to grab solid roots. Yet, weak from lack of food, he couldn't even began to try to pull himself up. His fingers slipped along the thin roots of the new edge to the high cliff; it wouldn't be so bad would it? Instant death, he wouldn't have to worry about Naraku or the valley anymore, it would be beyond his control. The boy swallowed and closed his eyes to wait for the end.

Someone's hand caught hold of his wrist just as he lost his hold; he looked up and saw a young human girl. He 'keh'ed and tried to pull his hand away, he would rather plunge down into the lake than say he was saved by a human girl.

She didn't let go, stubbornly the girl pulled him back up onto the solid ground, despite his struggling. "Were you trying to get yourself killed?" she cried.

He 'keh'ed and crossed his arms, "I was fine," his ears were laying against his head, " I would have lived." He had been looking away from her; he looked back and saw she was walking away, blinking he got up. "Wait!" he scurried after her and walked next to her, "Where are you going?" She clearly knew this place a great deal better than he ever assumed he would.

"I have to go home."

The boy's ears perked, he heard people calling a name. "Are you... Kikyou?" he asked.

She put her hands on her little hips and tilted her head to the side, "Kikyou is my sister, my name's Kagome," She gave him a looking over. "I've never seen anyone like you in the valley, what's your name?"she caught sight of his ears, "How cute!" she reached up and touched one, it flicked away from her curious fingertips.

He 'keh'ed and closed his eyes and walked forward. He could hear the Kagome's hurried footfalls coming after him, whether she thought he knew where he was going or not, she was still trying to keep up. The sound stopped then he stopped when he smelled salty water. He turned and saw she was crying, she looked up at him, he cautiously edged over to her side and whispered, "I'm called InuYasha," she sniffled and offered a smile while tears still ran down her meek little face. InuYasha scowled, "What's wrong with you?"

She scowled back at him and worked to scrub away the tears, "I stepped in a hole, and twisted my ankle." She growled, InuYasha blinked, _she growls good. _Before she could say, another word InuYasha lifted her up into his little arms. He had thought it over and come to the conclusion that if he brought the human back to the village there would be shelter and food for at least one night, that was more than any yorikai would offer him.

"So... which way is your home?" Kagome pointed down the path, and he slowly began to make his way down it.

Soon they heard more people calling her name and Kikyou's, _who ever she is_, he thought. A man pushed through some trees and saw the two young children. "I found Kagome!" he yelled then ran over, and took her from InuYasha and pushed the small boy down on the rocky ground. The man put a foot on the child's back while trying to act tough, "Stay there demon!"

InuYasha growled and tried to wriggle out from under his captor's foot. "Le'go!" He was sick of having people trying to hold him down. He tried to roll over, no luck, then he began to scratch at the leg of this captor as best he could, he was satisfied several times by the curses coming from the others mouth. Then he felt ropes bind his hands and several of the course bindings put around his neck. Kagome was somewhere behind him; he could hear her complaints about what they were doing to him, he was slightly pleased at this, but the argument of a child didn't ever seem to have an effect on adults.

He was shoved against a tree and lifted so he was eye level with most of the men. The man who had taken Kagome from him returned to his line of vision. He balled up a fist and planted it under his chin then started to scrutinize InuYasha up and down. Another one came forward, took a hold of InuYasha's chin, and rolled it from side to side. InuYasha growled and bared his sharp teeth threatening to bite any hand that dared to come to close. All the while his little claws behind his back worked on cutting the ropes.

"I told you to leave him alone!" Kagome came forward and hit the older man on the leg; he swatted her aside like some sort of bug. She stumbled just as InuYasha broke the sawed at ropes with a quick jerk. He dropped the few feet that separated his feet from the ground and dashed to get behind her. He got to her just before she fell, his little arms wrapped around her protectively. He ran a few yards from the men gathered around the tree he use to be tied too. He then carefully set her back on her feet knowing that if she hurt herself again she would cry.

Three people grabbed hold of the end of the ropes around his neck and pulled him away, he began to gag as they tightened, he dug his claws into the ground, one hand trying to prevent his sliding, the other filtering though the dirt for a good size rock. His vision momentarily blurred as the ropes worked to cut off his breathing.

An arrow severed the ropes, he fell backwards to the ground, he quickly righted himself and jumped into the trees, vanishing.

"My sister," a cool voice came from the shadows of the trees, "told you to leave him alone." InuYasha glanced out from his hiding place at the woman, her bow still in her hand, "Therefore, he is now under Lady Kagome's protection and no one will harm the hanyou."

Kagome ran over to the woman and hugged her about the knees, "Thank you Kaede."

InuYasha watched with interest as Kaede tossed the little girl in the air and she laughed, once her feet were back on the ground she walked into the trees calling his name. After a moment he decide that it would be fine to jump back down, he could hear the men who wanted him gone grumbling. He landed in front of the small child, she eeped and jumped back. He pulled the ropes from around his neck and threw them to the ground, "Is this how they always treat people who are trying to help?"

Kagome giggled, "You'll be fine now. Anything that my sister says goes, or something like that." She took hold of his hand and led him back to the others. He was still unsure about the whole business of the girl, but he didn't mind if she held his hand.

He was brought before the one that Kagome had called her sister. Kaede looked him over critically, he squirmed under her gaze and didn't dare look into her eyes. The sister shook her head at the state of the one who'd brought her youngest sister back to them. Kagome gazed up at her sister for a moment before Kaede tugged her away from InuYasha's side and lifted her up, she whispered something into the child's ear, the girl giggled and nodded. She closed her eyes and pressed her hands together.

InuYasha could feel something going on between them, he watched as the air over Kaede's arm tremored, folding and almost bending slightly. He blinked and rubbed his eyes as the air opened up and a red haori appeared over her arm. InuYasha shifted from one foot to another and looked down at his feet then back up at them, "How are you doing that?"

Kaede handed it to him, "Possessions have a way of wanting to come back to their owners." InuYasha raised an eyebrow but didn't question then he pulled on the clean haori, suprisingly the rest of his clothes were clean as well. He just blinked.

Kagome giggled and squirmed from Kaede's arms to look InuYasha in the face. "How do you manage to get your things so dirty?" She then skipped off toward the camp. InuYasha's ears flicked following a sound that only he could hear. He ran out and grabbed Kagome around the waist and pulled her to the ground, and arrow buried into the ground where it would have hit the girl had she still been standing.

InuYasha moved to keep Kagome under him he heard Kaede call for everyone to take cover; she yelled to him, "Get Kagome out of there!" InuYasha scowled as an arrow hit against his haori and reacted like it had hit a wall. I was _so _enjoying sitting here and getting _shot at._ He thought sarcastically.

He adjusted his hold on Kagome and between volleys picked her up and carried her into the trees and out of the range of the archers. InuYasha adjusted his haori after having put her down then turned back to her, Kagome stumbled back and put a hand on the tree she had a look of terror on her face, "You saved me." She whispered.

"Well, I guess you could call it that, we're even now, just stay here." She sat down, "I'm gonna find out what is shooting at you, then I'll come back."

He jumped out of the tree and heard her whisper, "Be careful, InuYasha." he felt his insides twist slightly.

There was another twang of arrows, InuYasha jumped out of the way as they struck the ground near him, he growled and jumped into the bushes. There was a muttering from nearby, he began to crawl under the bushes toward the sounds, he reached them. Three or four demons, all of them firing arrows into the camp there were several dead, he couldn't see them but he could smell the death, he quietly picked up several stones, he flicked one of the against a tree across from him, the demons turned their heads, there was a moment and InuYashajumped over them and into the trees behind them, they reeked of blood and feces, he covered his nose for a moment with is sleeve, then flicked another stone into the back of one of the demon's necks.

It snarled and struck out at one of its companions, there was several minutes of fighting among themselves then on of them slit another's throat, the body was thrown out of their hiding place and into the open space, InuYasha jumped out of the trees, just as a barrage of arrows came in.

Kagome walked out from the trees when the arrows stopped flying, she found Kaede, she had an arrow in her leg, but she was being tended to. Kagome walked out onto the field and began to walk toward where the demons had been hiding, she wandered until she found the small boy he was curled up near the bushes; he was injured. It was all he was truely aware of, the pain of an arrow going through his skin. The arrow had found its way into his arm and into his skin; he had been stabbed before, even struck with a clawed hand, but the arrow seemed to be burning him from the inside out, he whimpered in agony. Kagome whispered his name and reached out to him, his eyes were deep red and he couldn't tell if she was friend or foe, like an injured animal, he struck out at her.

She felt his claws sink into her skin, she cried out in her surprise, before she began to scream from the pain as her blood began to bubble over InuYasha's claws, he rolled over onto her and wrapped his tiny clawed hands around her throat and pressed down, his dark eyes flashed and his mouth slowly turned up into a wicked smirk; his sharp teeth appearing to grow sharper, he pressed harder to cut off her screams while she struggled against the hanyou's hold.

Kaede ran over to her sister, she shoved InuYasha off her and tore her away from the small injured boy. His eyes flickered as he got back to his feet, InuYasha ran toward them his little hands flexing toward them. Kaede took a rosary from inside her sleeve and slipped it down over his head as he ran past. He shook his head, while his eyes slowly changed back to their golden color. Slowly he turned back and looked up at the little girl in Kaede's arms. He bit his lip and began to slowly slink away thinking they would try to restrain him.

"Sit." Kaede ordered, he flinched, he didn't like being treated like a dog, but he did so, "You are not allowed to leave, as long as you are under Kagome's protection, she is also under your protection."

InuYasha crawled closer to Kaede, he began to whisper his apologies rapidly to Kagome, she had tears running down her cheeks, blood staining her kimono, and was gasping slightly for the air that he'd been cutting off. Kaede walked with her back into the camp, InuYasha followed with his head and ears down, he continued to apologies.

"InuYasha?" Kagome asked, his ears perked, "Its alright." Kaede took her into a tent, InuYasha sat down outside the tent door and balanced on the balls of his feet, he looked to the arrow still sticking out of him, he flinched at the pain that was still running through him. Daring himself he reached up and wrapped a hand around the shaft; the pain intensified he whined in pain and released the arrow and went back to stareing straight forward, rubbing his hands together and waiting.

* * *

Kaede came from the tent several hours later, InuYasha hadn't moved, his ears were flat against his hair and he was rocking back and forth on his heels, eyes gazing forward, it looked like he was trying to concentrate on the group of four trees that were directly in front of him. Kaede admired the look in his eyes of complete dedication. She cleared her throat.

He nearly jumped out of his skin, _the poor child_, she thought, then he looked up at her, scowling, she frowned and had a second thought about the hanyou. "Kagome's sleeping." she stated, before she could say another word InuYasha darted into the tent, she followed him in, he crawled onto the bed where Kagome lay sleeping, "Are you still hungry?" He rocked back on his heels and shook his head, "I'll bring you something to drink." She left.

InuYasha looked at the wrapping on her arm, and the bruises on her neck. He heard Kaede's retreating steps, "Sorry, sorry, sorry." He whispered and slowly crawled closer to her, he touched her hand, she pulled it away and groaned. He began to whisper his apology again. Several moments later Kagome's eyes fluttered open.

"Inu?" She asked, his ears raised and he looked up at her, he was squatting near her feet. "what's wrong InuYasha?" She sat up slowly, things spun in her eyes and she shook her head, making things stop spinning, "I'm fine, there is no permanent damage to me, it was only a scratch." She touched her neck and crossed her legs under her, "What about you," she looked at the arrow that was still in his shoulder, "Why didn't anyone try to take the arrow out of you?"

InuYasha shifted from foot to foot, "I growled at them if they came near me," he muttered, "some of them tried to hold me down and take it out...I bit one of them..." he grinned slightly at it.

Kagome scowled, she took hold of the arrow and made a motion of pulling it out, it simply vanished, his shirt began to soak up the blood. He cursed at her, and took up one of his hands to hit her, but stopped himself and backed away. "Sorry, sorry." he whispered. Kagome saw the look of complete sorrow for her, there was also something that looked like fear, not of her but of himself.

She crawled across the bed and took hold of one of his hands, "I forgive you," she smiled at him, the sun was setting behind the tent, "But that doesn't matter, you have to forgive yourself first." she then turned and went back under the covers and pulled them up to her chin. Kaede came in, and looked at her, then at InuYasha, he had a look of stunned silence on his face, and the arrow was gone.

She handed him a water skin, he looked at it curiously and sunk his teeth into the skin, and began to drink from it, Kaede nearly tore the canteen from him, but know it would never hold water again, he rolled back on the bed and continued to suck the liquid out of the bottom of the bag. When it was empty he continued to suck on it, then chew on the leather of it, his eyes looked heavy and glazed over, not in thought but as one who would soon drift into slumber. Kaede took the bag from his loose hands, one of his hands remained on the bag then fell onto the bed, he jumped back awake, then slowly laid his head back on the bed.

"Sleep well little ones," she whispered, she bent and kissed Kagome on the head, she shifted and looked up at her sister. She smiled and put a finger to her lips.

"Where's InuYasha?" she asked sleepily, she looked down at the foot of the bed, he curled up tighter as he began to dream. "what's wrong with him?"

"He is haunted by his dreams." Kaede stated, Kagome crawled down next to him, "He just had things in his life that come to him in his dreams and make them bad."

"That's terrible, your dreams are suppose to be an escape from your real world so you don't have to worry about something until you wake, its suppose to be a relaxing time." she ran a hand through his soft hair, he whimpered.

"Muma." he whined, a single tear ran down his cheek, Kagome ran her fingertip after the tear and wiped it away.

"Give InuYasha a kiss good night," the little girl said, "It always helps me to sleep though the night," Kaederuffled the child's hair and gave her another kiss on the forehead. She looked at the little hanyou.

"He looks so harmless when he's sleeping," Kaede gave him a gentle kiss on the tip of one of his ears, it flicked but he began to relax. "Go to sleep little girl, we have to find your sister in the morning." Kagome nodded, but stayed looking at InuYasha.

Kaede went to the door, she watched as Kagome took her pillow and tucked it under InuYasha'shead and pulled the covers up over him as well as herself, she gave him a kiss on the cheek, "sleep well InuYasha." she covered herself up and laid her head on his side. Kaede smiled and walked to the camp ground where the others were beginning to retire. She had first watch.

Kagome was asleep for a few moments when there came the small reply, "Good night... Kagome." InuYasha shifted slightly to make it more comfortable for himself and fell into a calm dreamless sleep.


	2. All Fun and Games

**Its All Fun and Games...**

The sun was still just reaching over the mountains, but those in the camp were already alive and filled with movement. Dawn didn't come with daylight when lady Kaede was in charge; and she'd been in charge since the day she'd been born. It didn't mean that sometimes they'd try to take that power away from her.

"We could just leave now Lady Kaede," said one, "we could leave some of our men here to watch the little ones and when they wake,"

Her eyes narrowed, Kaede wasn't one to give in to an easy way out. "No," came her sharp reply, "InuYasha is a hanyou, true he is not a full blooded demon, but he could still make our search much shorter. If we can get him and Kagome awake today that is." She walked back toward the tent where they still slept. "Start cleaning up camp, have something cooked for them when they wake up, and do not go and wake them up yourselves." There was a mutter of complaint, moments later they began to take down some of the other tents, Kaede walked into the tent where the two were still sleeping. It was nearing noon and still the two slept on, she smiled and ruffled Kagome's hair, she sighed and curled up tighter around InuYasha.

"I'll be just outside when you wake." she whispered, Kagome groaned, the girl rolled over until her face was buried against the hanyou's side, once there she again drifted to sleep.

* * *

Kagome rolled over and stretched, waking had been proding at her for hours she'd forced herself to deny it though. Waking would mean admitting that what she had seen was all a dream, she rolled her head to the side and saw the red haori sleeves covering the small boy's face, she sat up and pulled them away gently. He whimpered and tried to pull them back up to cover his face. She let them go and crawled to the edge of the bed, she tried to climb down and slid to the floor followed by most of the blankets. _So it wasn't been a dream!_ She thought to her great joy.

She shook her head and looked up at InuYasha's feet, she stood, she could just see over the edge of the mattress. She jumped slightly and hooked her elbows, catching hold of the edge of the bed. She tilted her head as she looked up at his small sleeping form. "He looks so harmless when he sleeps." she whispered, then giggled, "so cute!" he made a strange sound in his throat. They caught her attention once more, she'd seen many bare feet in her child hood, none of them were pretty. The hanyou's were no different, they were layered with dirt and other things, as well as had what looked like traction running across their soles. Slowly the girl ran a finger down the rough surface. InuYasha squirmed and pulled away from muttering and whining. Kagome grinned, it was a simple test, so she jumped down and went closer to his feet.

Shrill screams came from within the tent bringing everyone who was still in camp to their feet. Kaede grabbed the nearest weapon, a long bow and arrows and ran into the tent, ready to battle off creatures.

She pushed back the curtain followed in by several other men, all of their weapons drawn for a battle. Kaede watched as the two tumbled from the bed and landed in a heap of blankets. Said blankets began to thrash about and were filled with the same screams. They were flung back for all of them to witness Kagome straddling InuYasha, facing away from his torso and in her hands was on one of the poor hanyou's feet. Kagome's fingers ran fiercely over the foot causing him to squirm, scream and laugh himself to tears.

Kaede chuckled at the little ones fun and cleared her throat, Kagome froze. InuYasha took advantage of this and rolled over, getting her on her stomach, straddling her waist and took hold of her foot. Kagome began to laugh as his claws ran gently and deliberately over her soft sole. Kaede cleared her throat again, this time InuYasha looked up, the smile on his face fell. He released the captive foot and jumped up onto the bed.

He muttered something about she had started it, Kaede shook her head, "You two must be hungry, its past noon." Kagome was still on the dirt ground, on top of the blankets, she was laying on her stomach waving her feet back and forth. Wondering if she could get InuYasha to tickle her feet again, she had been having fun. InuYasha leisurely got down from the bed and began to walk slowly after Kaede out of the tent, his hands tucked into his haori sleeves. He was knocked to the ground as Kagome tackled him, locking her hands around his waist. He scrambled to catch hold of one of her ankles, they rolled out of the tent and into the clearing. Kaede shook her head but let the two have their fun.

They rolled though the camp, a ball flashing silver and black. InuYasha had a grin wide across his face, he hadn't had this much fun since his brother Shessomaru... his face fell and he released his hold on the girl, they both tumbled to the side. "Shesso..." he whispered, remembering his murdered brother.

They hadn't gotten along like other brothers from the kingdom, but they would still play fight with each other, even if Shessomaru was always rougher than he needed to be. They had had many great laughs together.

Kagome could see the face InuYasha was making, she crawled over to him and slowly ran a finger up the sole of his foot, he jumped coming back to reality, he shook his head, hitting his dog ears against his head then pulling them down into his hair, "What?" he asked the girl harshly.

"What's wrong InuYasha?" Kagome asked tender heartedly, "You were happy playing a moment ago, what happened?" He lifted his ears slightly then pulled them back down hard, he 'kehed.'

"I want something to eat." he stated and got up. Kagome sat on the ground for a moment more then got to her feet, she was giggling. "Why are you laughing at me?" InuYasha growled.

Kagome stopped and looked into his amber eyes, hers a pure sweet blue that the sky would be shamed by, "You look a lot cuter when you smile." she stated, catching the hanyou off guard. He stood for a moment, watching as she skipped off to her sister where she was dishing up food for the two small ones.

She had said something that his mother had told him often, when she was alive, "_Oh InuYasha, just to see you smile, it makes the days seem brighter and like not everything is as bad as it is._" She would then braid his hair and sing to him, then he would climb onto her lap and curl up in her arms, "_Smile my little prince, just once for me, and I'll be happy for the rest of my days. Your so adorable when you smile._" He shook off the memory, quickly wiped his nose on his sleeve, and stuffed his arms into his sleeves. He looked like a red ball, with a silver stripe, golden eyes, and tiny puppy ears. He was pouting.

Kagome took her plate from Kaede, thanked her and sat on the ground near the dieing fire, she was humming a foreign tune when InuYasha took a seat next to her with a plate in his lap. Kaede handed Kagome a water skin.

"Show him how to use that properly," Kaede told her softly, though InuYasha heard. "He bit the last one I gave him."

Kagome giggled and unscrewed the lid, she took a drink, and handed the open canteen to InuYasha who promptly sunk his teeth into the soft bottom and began to suck it dry, Kagome broke into a fit of laughter as the water spilled out the open top onto the ground and down his front, he jumped away with the water skin in his mouth. "You're suppose to drink it through the hole in the top of the bag, not bite a hole in it." she was laughing so hard she fell backwards, spilling her food on the ground, she rolled over and gripped her sides. InuYasha came back, with the water skin in hand, grinning sheepishly. He had known better, he had watched Kagome, but he liked to hear her laugh and it seemed like a good idea at the time.

"Now look at you two," Kaede began, "Your both covered in mud and breakfast." InuYasha knew what was coming, he tried to jump away as Kagome tried to dash off in the other direction. Kaede caught hold of Kagome's wrist and one of InuYasha's ears, "You both need a bath."

* * *

Kagome lifted a toe out of the water and popped a bubble before it landed on the warm water's surface. Her long wavy hair was soaked and had been scrubbed clean, "You know Kagome, just because were out in the woods doesn't mean we need to act like demons..." she turned and looked at InuYasha who was wrapped in a towel, ears drooping from the water and hair still dripping, "No offence."

"Keh," he turned away as she poured a rose smelling liquid over Kagome's head, she giggled as it flowed over her. InuYasha looked over his shoulder, and inhaled deeply, her natural scent, along with his, were the strongest scents in the room. The girl's was starting to spread even thicker in the air as the oils and shampoos were added. Lye, roses, forests, and fresh breezes swam through InuYasha's senses making him sneeze.

"Oh, I apologise InuYasha I forgot that you have a better sense of smell than we do." Kaede said, InuYasha 'kehed.' Kagome was humming again. Kaede began to sing the words to a old lullaby.

InuYasha listened intently to the soft words, he closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to find Kagome wrapped in a towel and walking toward him. She took a seat next to him as Kaede finished the song. They walked out of the tent after Kaede.

"Are you dry?" Kagome asked, InuYasha stood and shook his head like a dog, sprinkling water all through the trees.

"Does it look like I'm dry?" He asked dryly. "Where are my clothes old hag?" He cried over to Kaede.

Kaede glowered and shoved his semi-dried clothes back into the wash tub. She pulled his red pants from tub of water, "They needed to be washed." she shook them several times and put them over a tree branch. InuYasha muttered something under his breath. "Kagome, your other clothes are over there if you want to change into them." Kagome nodded and walked back into the tent and began to dress. InuYasha sat and watched as all of his articles of clothing were washed and hanged up to dry in the breeze. He sat down to do some more serious pouting.

There was a tug on his hair, he turned his head and saw Kagome in a pair of breeches and a loose tunic, looking a bit too similar to Kaede for InuYasha to like. She also had a tie up corset around her waist and chest, it was done up loosly. "Your hair's full of knots," she commented and continued to brush it, he tried to protest but she simply would repeat that his hair was full of knots.

Kagome ran the brush gently through his hair, soon it was soft, like silk, she continued to brush it even after it was smooth. She then put the brush on the top of his head, careful of his ears she brushed the top of his hair. Slowly the hanyou brought his eyes closed, soon she could hear InuYasha purring, she wasn't sure he realized what he was doing. She put down the brush and ran her small hands though the silky locks, she began to braid the hair.

InuYasha felt the familiar tugs, and pulled away abruptly, "Don't." he growled, and walked back into the tent. He climbed onto one of the beds and sulked to the pillow, he didn't hear Kagome come in after him. "None of their business." he muttered to himself, "Why do they keep me here, 'cause I can find their 'precious Kikyou'," he began to mutter softer. "Don't know where to even start looking for the wench."

Kagome put a hand on the boy's shoulder, he jumped, "I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" He glared at her over his shoulder and shrugged her hand off his shoulder.

"Leave me alone wench." he growled.

Kagome's gaze narrowed, "I am _not _a wench." she growled back.

InuYasha was caught off guard by her growl of a response, he remembered before on the mountain her growling at him. _She could be a demon if I didn't know any better. _He thought to himself. "Yes you are." he responded as an impulse, back from when Shessomaru and him would get in arguments before they got into fights.

"I am _not_."

"_Are_ too."

"_Am_ not."

"_Are_ too."

"_Am_ not."

"_Are_ too."

"Am _not_."

"_Are too_."

"Am _not_."

"Are _too_."

"Am _not_."

"Are _too_."

They were both screaming at each other at this time, Kaede came into the tent, "What is going on?" She looked at the two small children standing before one another, InuYasha had tied his towel around his waist, and Kagome stood with fists down to her sides.

Kagome looked over at her sister, there was a lump in her throat, InuYasha was her friend but she didn't like being called a wench. "Nothing." she stated, keeping her voice steady.

"All right," Kaede knew that Kagome was going to take care of this so she left them alone, "Your clothes should be dry in a few minutes InuYasha." She called.

"Am not." Kagome stated, her voice cracked slightly and tears welled up in her eyes, she tired to force them away but they remained. She didn't want to seem weakened by words.

InuYasha smelt her tears and instantly knew he had done something wrong. He looked over at her, she had turned her back on him and was busy wiping the tears from her eyes, she didn't notice InuYasha until he picked her up and put her on the bed. "I'm sorry," he muttered. Kagome hrmphed and crossed her arms stubbornly. InuYasha sighed, and sat down next to her, "I'm sorry I called you a wench Kagome..."

The girl stubbornly refused to look at him for a moment longer before turning back to him. "See it's easier just to call me by name than 'wench'. It gets you in trouble." She flicked one of his ears softly and smiled, "That was the first time you used my name." She said with a smile and jumped to the floor.

* * *

InuYasha pulled the clean haori onto him, sliding his arms into the sleeves, he sniffed, it smelled like lye, he made a face and slid his hands into the sleeves. He looked up at Kaede, "Why'd you go and scrub it for hag?" He made a face at Kaede as she scowled at him, "What do we do now?"

"Well, camp had been taken down," she looked around, "foods been taken care of... Now we go looking for Kikyou." she looked down at Kagome and InuYasha, "You two will be looking around where you found each other," she looked at InuYasha, "see if you can sniff her out."

"I need something that smells like her to find her." the hanyou stated, slightly angered that they were treating him like an animal all of the sudden.

"She's my sister," Kagome started, "She would smell like me, wouldn't she?"

"No two people smell exactly alike." InuYasha stated, He sniffed the air sheepishly, he sneezed, "there's blood somewhere up wind of us," he sniffed again, "and yorikai." he turned toward Kaede, "Don't worry though, its not human blood. Smells like a goat or horse." he walked over to Kagome and put his nose next to her neck, he inhaled deeply, he liked her scent, there was no way there was another who had the same smell, Kagome shivered. "Kay, lets go." He turned around and started to walk fast into the trees, Kagome tried to go after him he jumped into the trees and vanished.

Moments later he came out from behind her and took hold of her wrist, and pulled her up onto his back, and jumped off into the trees. Kagome laughed as he ran through the tree branches, it was almost as though they were flying. He wrapped his arms around her bent knees and jumped higher, and higher until the reached the canopy, he leap into the air, she screamed with joy as they rose above the branches and saw the sun rising before them.

Kagome was in awe as InuYasha ran sideways toward the lake once more, she was looking at the sun, there was every shade of color she could ever imagine. InuYasha tugged on one of her pant legs, she lowered her head and allowed them to vanish once more into the tree tops.

"It's so pretty up there," she began, growing more accustom to the little hanyou's movements, "How do you ever come down from there?"

He didn't respond. His father had once taken him and his mother to the canopy once, that is, when there was trees back in his fathers kingdom. They had stayed there all evening, his mother had asked his father why he had taken them there. His father had looked lovingly at her and turned her around to look at the sunset. He shook his head and jumped lower.

"Why are we in the trees?" Kagome asked, leaning closer to his ear, "Kikyou would have been,"

"It would be an older scent," InuYasha stated smugly, "It would have drifted up and away from where it would have originated from." He stopped, Kagome's head nearly hit his. He looked directly down at several humans.

"They don't seem to be looking very hard, "InuYasha commented. They were sitting on the ground drinking a strange amber liquid, the same liquid, by the scent of it, that his father had started drinking when his mother had died. "What's wrong with them, do the not care that one of their own is lost in a place filled with yorikai?" _Of course, _he thought to himself, _No yorikai would go looking for its own kind in the woods, they would leave it to fend for itself. _He bit his lip, he had always supposed that humans were of a different fabric, not the same. He ran a hand through his hair, Kagome tightened her grip on him as they took off though the trees again.

He jumped down to the ground, he looked around, and sniffed as Kagome climbed from his back, they were back. "This is where I...you...found me?" Kagome nodded, but looked around. The place was no longer what it had looked like, it was as if rain had poured from the sky into this place and the trees had swelled with the water.

Kagome turned to look at InuYasha... well his back, he was walking away, just down the path away from here, "InuYasha?" she looked over at him curiously, "Where are you going?" he glared over his shoulder and walked into the trees, "InuYasha don't leave me,"

His head poked out of from the shrubs, "I have to _go_!" he spat, he vanished again, she heard him mutter some colorful words.

Kagome walked over to the ledge where InuYasha had nearly fallen into the lake, she took hold of the trees and leaned over slightly, "It would have been a deadly fall." She glanced over to where InuYasha had vanished, after a moment she walked down the path, past him and toward the lake.

"Boo!" InuYasha cried, it echoed around slightly, he had jumped out of the trees from behind where Kagome had been, he looked around, "Kagome?" he looked around and sniffed, there was a scream from somewhere below. "Kagome!" He jumped to the edge of the cliff and looked around for her, he didn't see her, the little hanyou could feel his heart pounding against his ribs, she was his only friend he didn't want to loose her.

He went back to where he had smelt her fresh scent and walked forward several steps, he ran down the path. He stopped and looked over the side of the cliff several times to see if he could see her yet.

"What'cha looking for?" InuYasha nearly jumped out of his skin, Kagome fell backwards and began to laugh at her success in scaring him.

"That wasn't funny! I thought you were hurt!" He was hurt now that she would take advantage of his care for her.

Kagome rolled onto her side and looked up at him, "So, I can't scare you, but you can scare me?" He blinked, she had heard his attempt to scare her, "that hardly seems far."

"I... You... That was different!" he finally decide was the best way to reply. He stamped his little feet and stuffed his hands in his sleeves, his ears were down in annoyance.

Kagome sniggered, she got up and took one of his hands out of the sleeves, "I'm sorry that I scared you InuYasha, I promise I won't do it again." InuYasha allowed her to hold his hand a moment more.

"Keh." he pulled his hand away, he began to walk down to the lake, Kagome could see that he had forgiven her, in a strange odd way. She walked up next to him.

"I'm reminded of something nee-chan always says when Kikyou and I are playing rough," InuYasha looked out of the corner of his eye, trying to look like he didn't really care for what she was saying. However, his ears had flicked to full attention toward her. "It's all fun and games, until someone gets hurt." InuYasha turned to look at her, his head slightly tilted. "I think it means that you can have all the fun you want, but once someone gets hurt, it's not anymore. I hurt your feelings, so there was no fun to us."

"With my family," InuYasha remembered, "It would be more like, Its all fun and games, until someone gets hurt... then its a party. Or something like that," he laughed slightly. He missed home, but he was the only one left there was nothing to go back to...except Nuraku. His eyes darkened at the though of him.

Kagome noticed, "What's wrong InuYasha?"

"Nothing."

"Please tell me." She made a face that looked like a sad beaten puppy.

InuYasha raised an eyebrow, and blinked, she pulled off a puppy face about as good as he had to his mother, "Maybe later." Kagome nodded, that would have to be good enough for now.

* * *

**Okay that's the chapter, I apologise to all of those who are complete Shessomaru buffs, I had to do it. You'll hear about him more later, I swear...don't hate me.**


	3. Lost is Found

**Lost is Found**

By the time they found themselves down by the lake the sun was well faded behind the mountains, of course they had dropped below the level of the mountains. It only seemed darker than it truly was.

Kagome inhaled abruptly, InuYasha looked to where she was, thinking she had seen something, she sneezed and nearly fell backwards. InuYasha rolled his eyes and started to walk around the lake. Kagome sat down and watched as he made his round. She could see him go all the way around the lake, the only blockage was a small waterfall that came down from the mountains, it was bigger when the snow melted. As she looked at it she remembered it had been a long time since it had snowed, and the lake was a lot lower than it usually was. She looked down at the calm reflecting waters, she looked at her own reflection and grinned at herself.

Another reflection came up from no where behind her, she gasped and screamed. InuYasha's gaze instantly was up on the girl, he saw another demon, about his age with his hands on Kagome trying to keep her from screaming. He was proud of the little human she was kicking and screaming and scratching, with dull nails he remembered, and as he darted closer he saw her sink her teeth into his hand.

Now it was the demon's turn to scream, he tried to get her to let go but she held strong until InuYasha came from behind him and knock him over the head with his fist, the demon crumpled to the ground. Kagome released the hand and began to spit the coppery tasting substance from her mouth, she then began to wipe her tongue on her sleeve to get rid of the taste.

"You do pretty good fighting for a human," InuYasha rolled the demon child over and looked him over, he had brown hair that seemed slightly too long for him and, to his surprise and humor, the demon had his thumb in his mouth. He grinned and snickered. Kagome came over to the unconscious demon. She scowled at what he was laughing about.

"I saw you sucking your thumb." she stated venomously. InuYasha was instantly silenced. "What do we do with him now?" InuYasha stood up and looked around, there was no one, he looked down at the demon, then at the lake, then at the demon, "InuYasha, he's not dead, you can't through him in the lake, I forbid it."

He didn't look dishearten, "I'll tie him up, we'll make camp of some sort and when he wakes up and can knock him unconscious again." Kagome scowled at him then looked across the lake distantly, "I was just kidding Kagome."

It was as though she didn't hear him, she simply sat down cross-legged and continued to stare, InuYasha did tie up the demon and lean him against a tree, then he sat down next to Kagome, she had a distant look in her eyes, she blinked and looked over at him, "Could you tell me now?" she asked. He frowned, she was persistent, he shook his head, and said later. "Do you think that Kikyou's safe?"

He locked eyes with hers, his like amber in the fading twilight sun, hers like the lake they sat before, deeper in the center, and a lighter reflection of the center in the edges, the sun seemed to never set in those eyes. "If she's anything like you, she probably became a meal to a yoriki yesterday, and is giving him a very bad stomach ache today." he grinned, "Not really." he stated when he saw the hurt in those eyes. He broke the gaze first, ashamed that he had not thought before he spoke.

He felt a slight pressure on his shoulder, he turned and saw her leaning her head on his shoulder, her hands in her lap, "Thank you." she said.

He blinked confused, "For what?"

She smiled and didn't tell him, they sat there in the darkness as the stars started to appear in the night sky, "Nee-chan says that my mother and father are in the stars," Kagome began as she looked up into them, "and that they watch me every day and night. She told me that when it rains that my parents are sad for me when I refuse to be sad." She looked up at the heavens, the light of the stars reflecting in her eyes.

InuYasha looked up at the heavens, "My parents and brother are there," he said, "at my home I always thought that they cried when they were disappointed in me. It never stopped raining, for three weeks after my mother died, I didn't understand why she had to go, my father told me that heaven just wasn't the same without her, and they wanted her back." He shook his head, "My brother told me that my mother was crying because she missed me." He reminded himself that a week later Shessomaru had stopped talking to him and had acted as though he hated him. "My father died a year later, no one knew just why, I thought it was from a broken heart." He ended there, not wanting to dig too deep into the memories.

Kagome said nothing for a moment, "Nee-chan says its her fault my parents are gone, but, I don't understand why." She didn't finish, there was a moan from where InuYasha had tied up the demon.

He jumped over to him and stood over him, "Who are you? And why did you try and steal Kagome?" Kagome had turned to look at them, it was getting to dark, all she could see their silhouettes against a back fire from somewhere, she stood and saw torches.

"InuYasha! Run!" Kagome pointed to the band of demons heading toward them, InuYasha only had enough time to cut the ropes on their prisoner's hands before he took off after Kagome, he ran a head of her and paused long enough for her to climb onto his back.

To their surprise the demon ran along with them, InuYasha growled as he came along side them. "I don't wanna go back with them, why do you think I was running away from that way?" He looked at Kagome, he grinned, "Pretty wench you have,"

Kagome growled at him. "Go away unless you want me to hurt you." He swallowed.

"I just said," he paused in his words as they ran into the lower forest, "You look a lot like that other girl that came into our village a few days ago." InuYasha froze in his steps as he felt Kagome go tense. The other stopped as well. "what?"

"Is she still at your village?" Kagome asked insistent. InuYasha looked around, seeing if the other demons had followed them.

He shook his head, confused, "Why?" Kagome's heart fell, but she was glad that her sister was alive. InuYasha asked where she went, "she headed out toward the lake, then I lost track of where she went." He sniffed at Kagome, "You may look like her but you don't smell anything like her."

InuYasha groaned, how was he suppose... he sniffed the air, his eyes went wide, Kagome tugged at his sleeve and asked him what was wrong, "Blood." he took off running again, the other demon confused followed close behind him. "I don't know Kagome." He responded before she could ask the question if it was her sister.

The trees became thicker, he had no idea how but they did, they were closer together and stronger, even the small ones refused to bend out of his way. He jumped up into the trees, he found them to be a veritable maze of branches, all of them intertwined, as if they didn't want him to pass. Kagome climbed down from his back, she stumbled off the branch and fell toward the ground. InuYasha watched her fall at least ten feet to the ground below.

It was as if the world moved in slow motion as she fell through the air, Kagome's eyes were wide for a moment then she closed them tight, she could almost feel the bones in her body breaking before she hit the ground. InuYasha watched in horror, there was no way for him to stop her decent she was too far and he knew he wouldn't be fast enough.

Fortunately the other demon caught her just before she would hit the ground, she let out the air she had been holding, InuYasha did as well, he jumped down as the other demon put her on her feet.

"You need to be more careful," he stated to the human, "You're not a demon, if you break you can't be fixed." Kagome smiled, "My name is Kouga." InuYasha growled at him.

Kagome then walked slowly toward the knot of trees, that seemed to keep getting thicker, and thorn bushes began to get thicker, "Kikyou?" she called, it seemed as though the whole world was holding its breath to see what the small girl was doing, InuYasha sure was. She countinued to walk forward, "Kikyou, its me, your sister, I've come to find you." she was inches before the thorns, she reached out a hand and touched one of the giant thorns. InuYasha heard her inhale deeply, and could smell her blood, there was a gentle breeze, it traveled faster than any being human or demon could ever wish to, Kagome closed her eyes holding her cut palm. The wind went past the two boys and wrapped around the young girl, her hair flew up in the breeze, she put her chin down to her collar bone.

Something began to happen that neither of the boys would soon forget, the wind began to have a slivery blue color to it, an actual color that moved and whipped around the small girl as is they were ribbons tied to her boots. InuYasha noticed that she was outlined in this power. The wind then moved in and began to push the trees and bushes back to where they had been, returning them all to what they had been before, Kagome opened her eyes, they were their same blue only they had sliver waves in them swimming like fish against a strong current. After what seemed like moments to the boys but hours to the girl she allowed the power to disperse, there sitting on the ground was a small girl, there were cuts scoring her body from claws.

With out a second though Kagome walked forward and went to her sister's side, "Sister?" Kikyou looked up slowly from the ground, she locked eyes with her sister.

With out a word they seemed to understand each other, Kikyou wrapped her arms around her sister's throat, the near full moon was somewhere in the distance, giving light to the boys, they walked slowly forward, wondering if the trees would jump back at them. There was a quiver in the bushes, Kouga took a step back but InuYasha didn't pay attention he walked forward and squatted in front of Kikyou.

She had a scent that seemed to differ in every way to Kagome, the roses were lilacs, the river was more of a rich fresh earth, and there was also herbs of some kind that stood out above all the other scents. He tilted his head as he looked at her, she withdrew from him closer to Kagome, who stroked her hair and soothed her.

He eyes had a sunk in look as though she had not slept in days, and there was where he could see the only physical difference between the two girls, Kagome had blue eyes, Kikyou had deep brown that all most seemed black.

"Its alright Kikyou," Kagome wispered, "This is InuYasha, he helped us find you, he won't hurt you." Kagome nodded her head, InuYasha put our a hand slowly, Kikyou looked up at his amber eyes, she slowly put her hand in his. "He's going to carry you back to camp alright." Kikyou swallowed and nodded, she stood up and allowed him to lift her onto his back, he looked at Kagome, "Don't worry, I'll ask Kouga to take me." She smiled.

InuYasha had no choice, he nodded and ran, Kagome watched them go and dropped her smile, she turned and found Kouga waiting for her to climb on, she rolled her hands into fists and shoved them to her sides. She climbed onto Kouga's back. He took off after InuYasha.

Kikyou was silent as they went back to the lake, as was Kagome, Kikyou looked back once at her sister, Kouga was just behind InuYasha, so not to keep him from running into each other. InuYasha stopped by the lake. He put Kikyou down gently, as did Kouga with Kagome, both of the boys were panting. The demon children both fell onto their backs and lay there for a moment.

Kagome brought a water skin to InuYasha first and helped him drink out of it, properly for once, then went to Kikyou. Kouga had gone over to the lake and while laying on his stomach he dipped his hands into the water and pulled it up to his lips.

InuYasha sat up and looked over at Kikyou, she had something pink in her hands, she was rolling it back and forth in her fingers, she felt his gaze, and tucked it back under what remained of her shirt. Kagome produced a cloak from somewhere and wrapped it around her sisters shoulder. Kikyou didn't say anything or react.

Kagome walked over to InuYasha and put out a hand to him, he took it and they walked over to her sister, he watched as she tensed up for a moment then relaxed as she watched her sister. InuYasha sat down between the two girls, Kouga returned and sad on the other side of Kagome. "What do we do now?"

Kagome looked up at the moon, "Nee-chan said she would come and find us here in the morning." InuYasha looked over at her, "Or was it back at where camp was?" InuYasha sighed and looked over at Kikyou, she was looking at the lake.

"Kagome." She whispered, "where am I?" She looked over at her sister.

"We were out playing remember?"

_Flashback_

Kikyou darted out of her sister's reach, she laughed and swung her way around the tree, "Just missed me Kagome." She teased. Kagome wasn't where she had been moments before, she glanced around quizzically.

"Your it!" Kagome said from below her sister, she tapped the inside of her sisters calf, she giggled and got up quickly running away from Kikyou as she screamed that it wasn't far. She looked forward but not down, she tripped over one of the protruding roots, her face met the ground.

Kikyou froze mid step when she saw her sister laying on the ground, then hurried to her side, "Kagome, Kagome are you alright?" Kagome rolled over and sat up, tears were streaming down her face, after a moment she inhaled deeply and began to scream from the pain in her ankle. "No, no, no don't cry sister, I'll get nee-chan she'll make it better, I promise, I'll be right back, don't cry, shh." Kikyou wiped some of the tears from her cheeks and hugged her twin, "Just don't move alright."

Kagome looked up at Kikyou distraught, "Don't leave me." She caught hold of her sister's sleeve, "you can fix it, I know you can, please don't leave me here."

Kikyou looked at the pink bauble that had been entrusted into her care, she wrapped her hand around it, it began to give a faint glow. She wasn't sure how it was suppose to work only that it would do just what she asked. She took her hand away from the trinket and placed it gently on her sister's ankle. Kagome gasped, it felt like ice in her bones that spread though her entire body then back to her ankle, warming it and taking away the pain. Kagome exhaled.

Kikyou smiled, it had worked, and there was no back fire, like the last time she had tried. She looked up at her sister, "Let's go see nee-chan, I think she made cookies."

"Yum." the both said simultaneously, they laughed and walked ran toward the house.

From the trees they were watched, from the trees eyes watched the two girls make their way to their treats, from the trees, they had been seen.

_Next morning_

Kikyou sat up early in bed, earlier than she could ever remember, she went to the window, almost as if she was drawn there, she looked down and saw a red ball laying in the middle of the backyard, she blinked, they didn't own a red ball. She watched as a man came forward, he looked at the ball them up, directly into Kikyou's eyes.

Her heart jumped into her throat, his eyes were blood red, she tried to walk back from the window but only found that she couldn't move, _come to me child_, his voice was silky in her ears, she just stared into the eyes and shook her head. _Come to me, child_, the voice repeated insistently, again she shook her head.

Kagome woke up and looked over at her sister staring rigidly out the window Kagome went to her side, she looked down and saw only the red ball. "What's the matter sister?" She looked at her sister's eyes and saw not fear but horror. "Kikyou, look at me."

_COME TO ME! _The once silky voice was like an avalanche Kikyou finally broke the gaze and collapsed to the hard wood floor, she covered her ears with her hands. And began to bawl, "Don't let him in Kagome, don't let him get me, please sister, please." Kagome, though the youngest gathered her sister in her arms and held her close to her, running her hands down her hair, whispering to her that she wouldn't let him hurt her, that she would never let him come in. She did this until her sister stopped crying.

"Go into nee-chan's room, and tell her you had a nightmare and ask her if you could stay in her room till its time to get up, kay?" Kikyou nodded and slowly got to her feet, when she was out of the room and she heard the door close to her Kaede's room she went back to the window. She looked down and saw the man, he was in a black cloak and a black hat, he looked up at her, his red eyes shone as he looked into her eyes, she looked back defiantly, the look alone said, _you will leave my sister alone, you will leave me alone, and I will not see you again._ His voice chuckled, in her mind, as if daring her to keep him from taking what he wanted. She turned away not having the slightest implication to do anything else, she walked into Kaede's room and curled up between her two sisters.

Her exterior may have looked calm but inside she was trembling, fearing what the man wanted with Kikyou, she looked over to her sisters calm face, then to Kaede's, she felt comfort from them both, she cuddled down into the blankets she forgot all of the terror brought from him and slumbered peacefully.

_Later_

They all sat at the table, eating a breakfast freshly prepared by Kaede, Kagome was chomping on some eggs, scrambled and Kikyou was drinking some of the fresh milk. There was a knock at the door, Kagome could see Kikyou go ridge.

"Can one of you get that?" Kaede asked as she turned more bacon, Kikyou got up as did Kagome, they both walked to the door.

Kikyou opened it and saw a small package sitting on the porch addressed to her, she looked at Kagome, and bent to open it. A shadow fell over them both, Kikyou looked at the feet in horror, she slowly followed the feet up until her eyes locked with the blood red ones, she couldn't scream, nor could she fight as the stranger lifted her up from the ground. Kagome watched in terror as her twin was taken out the door, she couldn't move until she saw that they were halfway across the lawn, "No!" she screamed, "Kaede, he took her, help!" Kagome knew she wouldn't come fast enough, Kagome ran after them.

Kikyou still was too terrified to move or fight back, so Kagome fought for her, she jumped and grabbed him around the waist she began to kick the back of his knees, trying to make him fall, trying to make him forget Kikyou, let him take her instead. But he simply swung his empty arm around and locked it around Kagome's waist. She tried to bite and scratch him, anything to make him release them, she looked over at Kikyou. Kikyou locked eyes with her sister, it seemed to break through any terror that had covered her, they both began to fight and kick for release.

They screamed and shouted for someone to help them, Kagome looked forward and saw the forest and the lake. She closed her eyes, and opened them locking once more the gaze of her sister, they both closed their eyes.

Wind began to swirl around them kicking up the sand and dirt that lay loosely on the ground, Kikyou opened her eyes and looked to the ground while Kagome looked to the sky, the wind became silvery-blue around the three of them. Their captor couldn't move, as the ribbons of air could easily pass though the girls, they would cut into his skin, like knives. He felt something moving up his legs, he looked at Kikyou who was still and gazing at the earth, the roots of the trees were rapping around his legs, keeping him planted to the place.

He laughed, it started low but then began to grow louder, "You cannot stop me with your meager tricks children." He tore his legs from the roots and walked through the silver winds, to his error. The blades cut through flesh, sinew, bone, and all other things that are in a human. He laughed at first, for he saw no change, then his breath caught, blood began to come from every inch of his body, it was black and sticky. "I will not die as this, he said I would not." his hands fell from around the girls and they fell to the ground as demon steaks about one to two inches thick hit the earth.

Kikyou gasped and got away from the carnage, she stood, her terror had returned, there was no Kagome, only the dead and Kikyou, she ran. Kagome cried out to her, but she wouldn't stop running. Kagome got up as the demon began to turn to ash.

She was all turned around and backwards, she wasn't positive of where she was, but figured on the edge of the woods wasn't the best place to be. She walked toward the lake and made her way into the mountain area.

_End Flashback_

Kikyou had returned her gaze to across the lake, she had nodded, "I do remember." She shivered, but not out of chill, out of fear. Kagome shivered from the cold.

InuYasha took of his haori and put it over her shoulders. He had endured worse cold, in the prison cells. He mentally shook himself, not wanting any of the memories at the time. He looked at Kagome, she wasn't where she had been, he looked down at his lap and found her head on it, she was curled up under the haori, her eyes were starting to haze over with sleep, they fell close heavily only to have her force them open again. InuYasha crossed his legs making it more comfortable, she yawned and fell into a slumber, after a moment he watched Kikyou as she slowly lay her head on his other leg, covered in Kagome's cloak, their hair mingled across his lap. After he was sure they were both asleep he began to run his fingers through the mass of black strands. Kouga had wondered off to look for any approaching people. InuYasha watched as they both slept, he couldn't tell them apart with their eyes closed, it looked as though one of them had fallen asleep next to a mirror and was reflecting in it.

He touched Kagome's cheek just to be sure that he wasn't seeing things and that she was actually there. Kiyou would retract from his touch so he only touched her once. He wondered what it was like, to have someone so close to you, to share everything with that person, to have no disagreements, to have someone as a constant companion, always at your side. Shessomaru had been a kind enough brother, but he had never been a friend as these two seemed to be.

He began to nod off, he shook himself, trying to stay awake. He failed.

* * *

Kaede saw a faded light off to the east as the sun rose onto the landscape, there had been sign of Kagome or InuYasha, she worried at her lip and continued to look out over the land below her, she caught sight of movement below, a demon darting around the lake, casting early morning shadows across the water. She whistled to the men that were with her, they began to make their way down to the ground level.

* * *

InuYasha was shaken awake, "Lemme alone." he mumbled, thinking it was Kouga. The hands then proceeded, as he could feel to shake Kagome and Kikyou. He growled.

"Kaede!" Kikyou cried and wrapped her arms around her oldest sister's neck, InuYasha woke, and found that Kikyou was the only one that had woken, Kagome was still sleeping on his leg, he bounced it, she opened her eye and looked up at him, he nodded his head toward Kaede. Kagome looked and she squealed just as her sister had moments before. InuYasha lowered his ears in distaste.

Kaede turned to InuYasha, who stood slowly, "I thank you for finding my sisters." InuYasha nodded curtly. There was a moment in which all of them were trying to decide to do next. "You are, more than welcome to stay with us InuYasha." His ears perked up slightly.

"Really?" He turned to look at the three girls, Kagome looked up at Kaede surprised at her sisters words, Kaede nodded. "Okay..." he walked over to them and stood next to them. Kagome grinned and let go of her sister to hook her arms around his neck. He leaned back away from her for a minute then smiled and gave her a hug back.

Kikyou watched for a moment then smiled and went over and gave him a hug too. Kouga feeling slightly left out gave Kaede a hug, she blinked at the strange little wolf demon. "Kagome, you seem to attract some strange friends." Kagome giggled.


	4. Reborn

**Reborn**

InuYasha awoke sometime later, never really remembering falling asleep, he felt the rocking motion as if he was on the back of a horse. He groaned and rolled over, everything was black around him, he stretched and felt the tension of a blanket over him, he quickly dug his way out of the blanket.

He looked about, recognizing nothing, though it didn't help that everything was seen through a strange white cloth, he looked around and saw light coming from a head of him, he crawled over things and made his way out of the moving tent.

The sun was bright on his face, it had to be just before noon at least. He glanced around, he looked up at the back of a tall man, he decided not to bother him and climbed around to the side of the wagon. He could see three wagons behind him and countless horses surrounding them.

To his relief on one of the horses was Kaede, it meant that they hadn't given him to the first train to no where. He almost timidly waved at her.

"Hey, your awake," she came up along side of the wagon, she had a smile on her face, InuYasha nodded, "You gave us all quite a scare when you pass out on us.

"Passed out?" He question, his throat was dry, Kaede noticed.

"Yes," she handed him a water skin cautiously, not wanting to loose another one. Thankfully he opened it and took a drink, "on our way back up to the others, you feinted dead away, we didn't know what to do so I carried you back and put you in the wagon while the rest of us packed up to get back home."

"Home?" he questioned.

"Yes, we'll be there in about three days." Kaede grinned, "Kagome was worried about you. She thought you were sick."

"I don't get sick!" InuYasha declared, "I have yoriki blood in me." One of his ears flicked behind him just in time to catch the sound, thousands of feet running through the trees. He flattened his ears, "Something's coming." He turned around and looked at the forest. He jumped up onto the wagon before Kaede could ask him anything.

He looked around, he noticed Kouga standing on a wagon ahead of him, InuYasha scowled, Kouga looked a few centimeters taller than him. He stood on his toes and looked through the trees. Everything fell silent for a moment.

It struck the side of the wagon he was standing on, knocking him off and into the dirt, "Madame Centipede!" Came the cry from up the line, other wagons were tipped over, as it progressed down the line, InuYasha watched as the one he had been on fell toward him, his ears flattened against his head.

A arm locked around his waist and pulled him up into the saddle in front of them, it was one of the men who had pinned him to the tree when he had first found Kagome. "You alright hanyou?"

Oh yes, he despised this one. He nodded and jumped from the saddle and onto another horse, who was attached to a knocked over wagon. It was panicky enough as it is, and having InuYasha didn't help. The horse reared up, he quickly cut the harness and jumped onto the wagon.

Something came past behind him and caught the horse in its mouth he watched as a giant body rose, holding the horse in its mouth. It flung the animal around and broke off a large piece of flesh, the horse came falling back toward him. He jumped out of the way. The horses eyes were still reeling in its head when it hit the ground.

"_Ah, what a feast has been placed before me!_" The demon hissed with pleasure, she looked down and caught sight of InuYasha, "_What's this, an appetizer?_" She chuckled at her own joke, "_It wouldn't even fill a wolf demon._"

"Shut up hag!" InuYasha yelled up to her, "you wouldn't eat me even if you had the chance, I'd give you indigestion!"

"_Spoiled child!_" she hissed coming lower to face the young boy, "_Do you know to whom you speak?_"

"Stupid hag!" he replied, "I wouldn't expect you to know who I was!"

_How can such a small child have such a big mouth?_ Kaede thought as she came nearer Madame Centipede, her and her troops armed with spears to drag the demon into the caves and seal her away.

"_Why would I fear a child?_" she questioned, slightly intrigued that he wasn't terrified of her.

"Because I know what your going to do before you do it." he replied, he crossed his arms and turned away from her slightly. Every one stopped at the confidence the boy showed.

Madame Centipede rose up several feet, "_You lie._" He shook his head, "_how?_" he waggled a finger, she came in closer to him.

InuYasha jumped down hard on her head, "Because I can tell your a baka!" several spears flew and embedded into her flesh they all dragged her toward the caves, Madame Centipede screeched and screamed as she drew closer to the cave.

"_Foolish child, I will kill you for this!_" She vanished into the caverns, several sealing scrolls were hung over the cavern.

"Keh." InuYasha turned away from the cave and walked off the wagon, he was instantly facing Kagome, his ears flattened at the face she was making, he began to slowly back away.

"How dare you do something like that!" she began, "I thought she was going to eat you and," her rant went on for several minutes as everyone else began to set the wagons back onto their wheels. "Don't you ever do something as foolish as that again, do you understand me!"

InuYasha had hidden his head in his haori, he popped his ears out when she paused, he slowly allowed the rest of his head to come out, "I'm sorry I scared you Kagome, but it was all I could think of to do at such short notice."

Kagome blinked, "You had that planned?" she cried.

"Well," he bobbed his head around a bit, "sort of, I knew she would be a baka and fall for it, but I wasn't really sure what would happen after I pissed her off."

"Kagome," Kaede came up to her sister on horse back, she jumped off and gathered her in her arms, "Thank the gods that your safe," she looked around for a moment, "Where's Kikyou?"

Walking into the cavern, in search of the demon they had sealed away, the demons legs all clicked against the sides of the cavern. They walked deeper into the shadows and came face to face with Madame Centipede.

"_What do you want?_" she hissed foully.

"InuYasha."

They were all on their way when Kikyou was found, hiding behind trees several feet from the caverns entrance. InuYasha was put on horse back with the two girls, there was a strange scent on Kikyou, InuYasha couldn't quite put his claw on it but it was so familiar to him. She also stank of Madame Centipede, of course everyone did, he sniffed at the sleeve of his haori and sneezed, he reeked of her. None of the others seemed to notice.

For some reason Kaede had placed him between the girls, Kagome in front of him and Kikyou behind him. Kagome was the first to doze off, he couldn't understand why, the horses movements alone were keeping him awake. Kikyou leaned against his back and drifted away as well.

He called to Kaede, she came and took Kikyou from his back, he continued to ride with Kagome sleeping in front of him. He eventually got use to the horses movements, and was able to keep up with Kouga and Kaede.

"Why is he coming along?" InuYasha asked Kaede when Kouga had gone ahead to check on the head wagon.

"Did he or did he not help you to find my sister Kikyou," she asked, "and I heard that he saved Kagome from falling out of a tree, why didn't you do anything?"

"Keh," he said and tucked his hands in his sleeves along with the reigns, "I knew he was coming behind me, so I didn't have to worry about it."

"That's not what I got from the look on your face," InuYasha looked down at the little girl, who was no longer asleep before him. He blushed causing her to giggle, he turned his head to the side. Kagome took the reigns. "Its all right Inu, I know you would have tried to save me if you could have."

"Don't call me Inu!" he snapped, "My name is InuYasha, my father was Inu!" He said before he could stop himself. He covered his mouth and jumped away into the trees. He kept going deeper, away from them, he didn't want them to ask him questions about where he had come from and why he had left it if it had been so perfect.

He finally found a tree and nestled into the bend of it, "But that's the problem isn't it," he said to himself, "Its not anymore." he caught himself crying and wiped the tears from his cheeks. There was a plip below him as one of the tears fell into a small puddle of collected water. He looked down at it, seeing only a red blob as the ripples crossed the water. He jumped down when the ripples stopped.

He looked at his perfect reflection, amber-gold eyes, long sliver hair, if he didn't have the dog ears he would have though he was looking at his brother, without the markings, he pulled his feet up under his backside and put his hands on his lap, he could still see himself in the water.

_Flashback_

Shessomaru caught hold of his ankle and dragged him across the courtyard back to the room where their father sat, conversing with his advisor. InuYasha dug his claws into the dirt trying to keep his older and stronger brother from dragging him in.

It didn't work, it only made him appear filthy when he was laid before his father. He looked up from where he laid toward his father, he hadn't noticed the two boys enter. InuYasha tried to dart back out before his father could see him, Shessomaru grabbed a hand full of hair and pulled him back in. InuYasha yelped, this brought attention to him and his brother.

"What's this?" His father asked, it was a tone of slight curiosity but more one of boredom.

"InuYasha was trying to climb over the walls again." Shessomaru told him.

"I wanna see mommie!" InuYasha replied loudly, his little child-like voice carrying across the room, several of the servants stopped to see Lord Inu-Tashio's reaction.

His advisor tried to keep him from going toward the boys, but he stood and approached them, his golden eyes blazing. InuYasha curled up, waiting for him to strike him. Shessomaru's eyes widened, he didn't think his brother would be punished by his father, he had just wanted to tell him that he had been trying to get out again.

He didn't strike his son, he bent down and lifted him from the ground, setting him on his feet, "So do I." he whispered, "Nuraku," he turned to his advisor, "if you would please make sure that the feast is properly prepared for the nights events?" Nuraku bowed his head, though there was a strangely mischievous glint to his eyes.

Inu-Tashio took the hands of both his sons and walked out of the castle with them. They went around to the back gardens, InuYasha's mother's garden. InuYasha jumped for glee and ran off on all fours vanishing into the garden. Shessomaru sat down at the feet of his father, who took a seat on a stone bench.

"Mama, always said she put her whole self into her garden," InuYasha hung from the tree above his father's shoulder, "I can almost feel her wrapping her arms around me." InuYasha jumped down onto Inu-Tashio's shoulder. His father was silent, "Wha's wrong?"

Shessomaru looked down the garden paths, watching small insects crawl from leaf to leaf. He had never care for the human his father had mated, but she had always been kind to him. Treating him like she did InuYasha. He pulled one of his knees up to his chest and looked up at his father.

"I can almost hear her voice whispering on the winds," he began, "through the trees, and the plants that she so often cared for, they tell her story."

_Break_

InuYasha scrubbed the tears from his eyes and tried to forced the memories down. They refused to be ignored any longer. "Go away," he begged them, his ears flat against his head.

He heard them calling him name from the distance, and getting closer, damn Kouga. He dashed deeper into the trees, climbing higher. He came to the canopy.

_Return_

InuYasha tossed in his sleep that evening, a nightmare haunting him. He got his eyes open and whimpered, he was still alone in the giant room. He climbed down from the bed and opened the door.

The corridors were completely deserted, it didn't plague his mind as much as the dream had, the halls had never been absent of some servant going about his business. InuYasha scuttled down the halls toward his father's room.

He pushed the door open slowly, he could hear his father even breathing, he sighed in relief. It caught for a moment when he smelled his sons presence. "InuYasha?" The child walked into the room, "What's wrong?"

"I had-ed a nightmare." He heared his father chuckle, he grinned and darted across the room, jumped up, and landed next to his father in his bed. He curled up next to his arm, looking like a small white ball in his nightclothes. He felt his father pat him gently on the head. "You were killed in my dream."

"That's not going to happen anytime soon." he heard his father reassure him. InuYasha dosed into another fitful slumber.

He awoke several hours later, the room was filled with the scent of blood, he looked around and saw his father was no longer on the bed. He slowly got down and looked around for him in the blood bath that was around the room. He froze as he saw something move to the window. "Papa..." he whispered, it froze for a moment then leapt out the window. He turned at the end of the bed, his eyes went wide, his mouth dropped wide, no sound could escape his throat.

His father lay with several blades experting from his guts, he seemed to have been filleted, only his head remained as it was, there was blood splattered across his face, his mouth was wide as he tried to breathe through his punctured lungs. "Inu...Yasha..." he wheezed, "are...you...all...right...?" InuYasha was drunk on the scent of his father's blood, he whimpered and and crawled closer to his father, wading through blood, his father touched InuYasha's chin. "There's my boy." he coughed , more blood bubbled up across his lips, "I'm glad you're... safe." his eyes glazed over, his head rolled to the side.

InuYasha moaned, then whimpered, he sat down, and rocked back and forth on his heels. He began to howl softly. It was an exact copy of his dream.

_End Flashback_

"InuYasha?" came the voice that finally broke the memories, "InuYasha will you please come down?" He wiped his tears, there was a moment where he was unsure of where he still was. He watched as the sun rose before him, the wind caused his hair to dust across the leaves. He shuddered at the thought of the wind, there was another memory of his mother behind this. He had to forget, forget all of it, not only his family, but the kingdom, his companions... _Kagome_... he thought, would he have to forget her too?

"InuYasha!" She called, "get down here now! I will come up and get you if I have to!"

_Forget, InuYasha, forget it all, start anew. _The wind whispered. _Come down with nothing, be reborn. _He listened almost intently to the voice, _I will keep your memories save, for now, until you need them again._

InuYasha closed his eyes, he lost balance and fell backward from the tree. He fell, and didn't care.

* * *

"What do you think's wrong with him?" a voice with no name came to him, wait he knew the voice, it was a friend, her name, it started with a K... "Why won't he wake up?" There was something leaning on a bed.

A bed? He could remember falling, but that was it, nothing else before that, other than names, just a few of them. There were faces, fuzzy but he couldn't see them, and it seemed to hurt when he tried to look closer at them.

He took a moment to find something to take hold of, but found he couldn't move, there was something on his head. He whimpered.

"Take the seal off!" The voice whose name started with another 'K' said, a hand struck across his head taking what ever was there with it. His eyes shot open and he sat up.

There were several people surrounding him, they all took a step back, he didn't know why, but his eyes were blood red. "Where am I?" He pulled his legs up closer to him, trying to get further away from them.

"You've been unconscious for the past three days InuYasha, we thought you had seriously hurt yourself." The older one said.

"Who are you?" he asked, the name then came into his head, _Kaede._ "You didn't answer my question hag! Where am I?"

Kaede came forward and took hold of the rosary around his neck, "Watch your tongue hanyou," she hissed, "you are now in my home city, I could have you killed for those words."

_City._ There was a ache in his mind, he put his hands on the back his head, his ears were pulled down, he whimpered.

"Leave him alone," came a common voice, _Kagome_, the name leapt into his mind, he looked up at her, his eyes returned to their once golden tone. "He's still hurt, I think he can't remember what happened before."

"Keh." was his only response. He watched as they continued to walk around him, several of them would look over in his direction, looks of concern on their faces. One of them stayed, he wasn't sure of her name, it began with a 'K'. _What is with these people and 'K' names?_

"You'll be fine InuYasha." she said, her voice was different than the others, it was more like chocolate pudding, thick and rich. She sat on the end of the bed when Kagome had to go with Kaede.

He had decided that he didn't like any of them. Nor would he trust any of them until he could find good reason to trust them...or anyone.

They refused to let him be alone for too long, there was always someone there, some of them were new faces, some of them he had a slight memory of, others he wished he didn't know who they were. There was a young demon, Kouga, who kept coming in, he would tell some sort of story, something that would prod at something in the back of his mind, it would then give him a headache, he attacked the young demon twice, he lost once, and got the better of him the second time.

Kagome came in and saw InuYasha straddling the wolf demon, and busy binding his hands behind his back with ace bandages. "InuYasha!" she cried, InuYasha only glanced up at her, he 'kehed' and proceeded to tie the demons feet together. "What are you doing?"

"None your business, wench!" He yelled back, he knew he had said something wrong when her eyes darkened. He began to shrink away as she approached.

"I am _not _a **_wench_**!" she snapped, it was quiet, but it was just as deadly a tone as if she had screamed it. InuYasha jumped back onto his bed and pulled the covers over his head.

She heard him mutter many choice words, she let it pass, she wasn't even sure of the meanings of half of them, neither was he, he had heard some of the others coming through say them. Kagome untied Kouga.

"What where you in here doing?" Kagome asked with concern.

"I was tryin' to see if I could get him to remember somethin'," Kouga stated, "I thought you would be happier if he did." he made a face, "I started to talk about the lake and he started to whine, like somethin' was hurtin' him. Then his eyes turned all red and he jumped on me," Kouga grinned, "I took him down the first time, but he caught me by surprise this time."

"He'll remember in his own time." the other girl who looked remarkably like Kagome came in. _It starts with a 'K'... what the hell was it..._ The name seemed to want to find him, but wouldn't come to him.

"Come Kagome, Kouga," She said, "InuYasha needs his rest, tomorrow maybe we can show in the city." he grimaced at the thought of more humans. They all left him alone, the lights faded to a low glow. He watched shadows dance across the walls.

There was something in his mind that begged him not to sleep, there was something waiting in sleep, something that he should fear. He got out of the covers and paced around the room several times before going to the door, he turned the knob to find it locked. He paced again.

He looked up at the high windows, he jumped up onto one of the beds and tried to get into one of them, he caught hold of the edge of one of them, he scrambled up the wall and sat in the sill. The windows were shuttered, he pushed it open.

The stars twinkled diligently over head, while the city below was filled with its own lights, all of them bright, there was laughter all around the city. He sat down in the window, he ignored the world below and looked only at the heavens. His head gave a twinge of pain.

"_Nee-chan says my mother and father are in the stars, and that they watch over me every night."_ Where were his parents? Why was he here? Where did they all fit in?

He began to drift slowly, he shook his head trying to stay awake, but he was fighting a losing battle. He felt his eyes falling again, he shook once more, then allowed them to close over his tired golden orbs. He opened them once more, he caught sight of a falling star, he made a wish, and fell into a slumber.

**

* * *

**


	5. Festival

**Festival**

Kagome entered the infirmary, the walls where all white washed and spotless, she walked down the row of beds, expecting to find InuYasha on the bed at the back of the room. She reached the bed she had seen him in last night, there was no one there. She blinked, looked around and after a moment she looked up at the wall, she saw the scratch marks.

She walked back several steps and saw the open window, and the silver hair falling from the sill, she grinned. The door opened again, Kikyou came in, she looked up from the ground at her sister, there was a look of confusion on her face, almost as if she didn't know who she was looking at for a moment. Kikyou looked at the window where Kagome was. She smiled.

"How are we going to get him down?" Kagome asked her sister, Kikyou shrugged and came up next to her sister.

"Maybe we could get Kouga to get him down," Kikyou suggested, "Or..." she grinned wickedly at her sister. Kagome got the gist of what her sister meant.

She closed her eyes and waited for the wind, the gentle breeze came in through the window, it swirled around the two of them, Kikyou then closed her eyes as well. The wind turned the slivery blue, there was also a pink glow around it.

The wind wrapped gently around InuYasha and brought him down from the window slowly, the sound of wind began to wake the sleeping hanyou. He opened his eyes as it placed him on the bed, he yawned. The girls both opened their eyes suddenly, the wind lashed about the room for a moment, out of the control of the two then dashed out the window.

"Oops." Kikyou said, Kagome laughed.

InuYasha looked around at the bed, then at the two girls, they looked like copies for a moment, except once was laughing uncontrollably, while the other was simply smiling. "Huh?" he said.

"Oh," Kikyou suddenly turned to him, seeing him awake, "Good morning InuYasha, nee-chan was wondering if you were hungry this morning."

"The old hag can go eat her tongue for all I care." he muttered and pulled his best look of anger, it only caused both girls to giggle, his stomach growled, it made them laugh harder.

"Come on InuYasha, Kikyou and I will take you down to the kitchen, Kouga's been in there since early this morning, asking what he could eat." Kagome took his hand, he snatched it away.

"I could find it on my own," he stopped himself before he called her a wench. He sniffed the air, it was all filled with the medicine smells from the infirmary, he grumbled and jumped off the bed, the two girls walked out of the room. InuYasha followed grudgingly behind them.

It was shortly after they had found themselves in the kitchen that they realized they would need more food to feed the two demons if they were going to stay around. InuYasha had almost jumped on the ham hocks that where still cooking over the fire. Kagome had taken hold of the rosary Kaede had put on him just before he had leapt for the meat.

InuYasha growled at her and pretended to bite at her fingers, she only held tighter. "You can be patient like," she looked over at Kouga, he slowly got back up into his seat. Kikyou smiled lightly at the two's antics, one would distract Kagome while the other tried for the half cooked meat.

"Stop!" Came the sudden snap, all eyes turned to the older women, InuYasha could tell by her scent that she was pregnant, "There will be no snatching of food in this kitchen."

"I thought you were going out to get something to make dinner tonight," Kagome admitted, "I was just getting some food for InuYasha and Kouga."

The cook was looking over her and at the fire, Kagome followed her gaze, the ham was gone, spits and all. "It looks like I'll need to make more lunch first."

* * *

For once he was glad the other demon was there, he never could have been able to get out of the kitchen with the entire rack of ham without the other's help. Kouga was leading, both of them with folded cloths over their hands so not to burn them on the hot irons. 

"Where shall we take our spoils?" Kouga asked, they had stopped around the edge of the house, there was no one there to keep them from going anywhere. InuYasha was looking up into the trees.

"How high do you think we can jump with this thing?" Kouga looked up at the high branches, and stated the fact that they probably wouldn't make it. "What about over there?" he leaned his head toward the back bushes, there was an old path, it looked as though it hadn't been used in years, Kouga looked at the path.

"I don't know, looks like it could be dangerous," He looked over his shoulder at the slightly younger demon, "Sure you won't get scared and drop the ham?"

"Keh," InuYasha pushed forward, Kouga steered them down the path. As they walked it seemed to get lighter, but even that couldn't completely vanquish the feeling of foreboding that hung thickly in the air. "Something's here." he stated, almost as if it was a warning.

"Yeah, lots of bugs, and spiders, and," something fell from above and landed before them, "demons..."

InuYasha lowered his ears and began to back away, his guts were gripped up into a tight ball, he wasn't sure he could make them release. Kouga began to follow suite, what ever it was began to follow them, its head down, and arms swinging from side to side.

InuYasha could here his heart pounding in his ears, what would they do?

"Wha' are a 'ew li'le tykes li' you doing down heer?" The man said, his breath reeked of alcohol. InuYasha growled and took several steps back. "Wha's tha' you go' theer?" it looked like the person was having trouble focusing on them.

"InuYasha." Kouga looked up, as did the said hanyou, they trees were lower here. "Now!" they both jumped at the same time and landed in the strong branches, they continued to jump higher until they were in a huge tree surrounded by a clearing, and nothing else.

"I suppose we should be safer here than at that, other place." there was a moment when the two children looked at each other then at the meat between them, InuYasha took off a large chunk and tossed the still warm meat from hand to hand. Kouga took another meat chunk and threw it at InuYasha, who caught it in his mouth, he tossed this piece at Kouga, he didn't catch it in his mouth, it hit him in the stomach, it set him off balance but he didn't fall.

"Jerk," Kouga said, and threw the meat back at InuYasha, he caught it in his hands, tore it in half, and tossed it at Kouga again, a redemption from the last throw, catching it in his maw. After a moment he and Kouga were filling themselves on the warm, almost cooked, ham.

* * *

"Kagome we've searched the house three times now," Kaede stated, "I pretty sure they made their way outside, with our lunch." 

"I don't care about the ham, I just hope they didn't wonder away too far." she turned to look at her sister. "there's no Kouga to find them this time."

They heard a ringing of metal hitting stone, the watched as the empty metal spit the meat had once been on, come rolling down a slight hill in their backyard, they both looked back up when it reached the middle of the yard. Kouga's head peeked out from behind a bush, he blinked, sweat-dropped a gave a grin that suggested he was trying to decide what to do next. Kaede called him and told him to come out immediately.

Kouga shuffled forward until he stood before Kaede, he didn't look at her, only at the floor. "Where have you been?" she asked sharply, Kouga flinched at the knives that seemed to come with her words.

"I...was..." he mumbled through what could have been argued if it was an explanation, it went for some time, "InuYasha took off into the woods after we finished the ham." was how it ended.

"He ran off?" Kikyou asked as she seemed to materialize next to her sisters. "Why would he run away?"

Kouga shrugged, "said he heard something, I didn't hear anything." he asked if there was anything else to eat. For this he got several scowls. "Just askin'." he said defensively. He attempted to scuttle away before they could ask him anything else, however, Kaede caught hold of the back of his neck, like a mother wolf to her cub, and turned him to look her in the eyes. He shuttered at the look she was giving him.

"You are going to take us to InuYasha, and you are going to do it," she stopped when she heard a tinkling of bells on the wind, Kouga looked up as well, "You're lucky," she stated looking back at Kouga, "I'm not done with you yet though." she plopped him onto the ground and walked back into the house followed by the two girls, and after a few minutes Kouga.

* * *

InuYasha sat in the back of a wagon as it headed back for the town, he wondered how people so use to the country side could get lost so easily. They were a hired team of performers, and for some reason they were heading for the town where the hag lived, he was slightly lost himself and took the ride offered back to the town. 

He was slightly surprised that they had offered the ride, and hadn't thrown him into a cage of some kind, but as he looked at all of those in their group he was surprised that some of _them _weren't in cages. Most of them were demons, some of them were humans, a hand full were animals, but as far as he could tell there were no hanyou's in the group. He got onto his feet in a low crouch, and used one of them to scratch at his ear, then shook his head and jumped off the wagon, he walked along side an old she-bear demon, she walked on all fours and had no urgings to start up a conversation, of course neither did InuYasha, they made a strange sight for those walking by them.

The she-bear glanced over at InuYasha several times, InuYasha simply looked a head, his hands behind his head. "Hanyou." she muttered, InuYasha scowled and 'keh'ed, he then walked a head of her. He looked up at the bear that was pulling the car, this was a real bear, not a demon in any sense of the word, a wild creature that's only thought was its next meal. He slowly approached it, curious about the bear.

"Keep your distance from him squirt." the man driving the cart warned, "he'd rather take your head off with one swing than let you scratch him behind the ears." InuYasha sniffed at the bear, it reeked of death and dead cows. He sneezed and jumped away from the bear.

He climbed up to the seat next to the driver of the bear, "Why you heading to the village, an' why this village?" he took hold of one of his own ears and pulled it slightly to one side, it still had a strange itch to it.

"We come around to every village about this time of year, we have a festival in each one," he clucked his tongue at the bear, it growled and turned with the road. "However at this one, we have a grand festival, all those from the villages around are invited to attend, here the festivities are only one day, and one night, on the summer solstice, and this year its also a new moon, there will lanterns lit all around the city, and games and food..." InuYasha's mind had stopped at the part about the new moon.

He was in a new kind of trouble. He looked up in the sky for the moon, after a moment he spotted the sliver of it that was left, it would be gone tomorrow, he only assumed they would have to set up everything first. He swallowed then looked to the road. He saw the smoke rising from the houses a head of them.

* * *

Kaede opened the door and saw three familiar faces, she grinned and invited them in, they greatfully excepted the offer. Just before she closed the door she heard someone clear their throat. She looked around and saw only those who were unloading the wagons, preparing for the festival, she felt something tug on the edge of her pant leg. She looked down into a pair of familiar golden orbs. She scowled. 

"They lost their way and I helped them find there way here," he stated, his hands in his sleeves, "You can't get mad at me for disappearing this time hag, you can't do nothing about it."

"Call me hag again and you'll see what I'll do about it." she growled, InuYasha scampered past her and after the troupers. "Well, thank you all for returning the brat, we thought that you wouldn't be arriving for another week, especially if you ran into any demons."

"No, no, the wild demons stayed clear of us, we have seven new additions," the one InuYasha had been talking with stated, " 'Course who knows how many fleas they brought with them." They all laughed at this, InuYasha scratched at his ear from one of the rafters above the conversation.

Fleas, eh? He scratched harder at his ear, after a moment a small creature fell from his head. "Stay off me bugger." he growled at the flea.

"Lord InuYasha I am amazed that you do not know your old friend Mortgue." the flea demon bowed to InuYasha.

"Mortgue?" InuYasha's head instantly burst into pain, he grabbed hold of the sides of his head and tried to force the pain away. He whimpered in pain causing everyone below to look up at him. He stumbled back and fell from the rafter, Kaede ran and caught him before he hit the floor. "InuYasha!" She held him close, InuYasha curled up against her, as if she was his lifeline. He grabbed hold of her arm and then took hold of his head. After a moment he relaxed, and sat up in her arms. He looked around and caught sight of the flea.

"What the hell did you do to me flea!" Kaede caught hold of his rosary before he could jump at the flea. "That hurt like hell!" Kaede put him down, but didn't release her hold on the rosary. "Leggo hag, are you trying to kill me?"

Kaede brought a fist down on his head, "Don't call me hag." InuYasha wined and rubbed his small head, "Go and find Kikyou and Kagome." InuYasha didn't have to be told twice, he scampered away from Kaede and the troupers.

* * *

Kagome was sitting on InuYasha when Kaede came into the playroom, InuYasha had a look that made it obvious that he had been there for sometime, "Trying to make sure he doesn't run off again?" Kagome smiled and nodded, glad that her sister understood what she was doing. 

"Keh, like I would." he muttered, he looked out the window at the moon again, he got onto his hands and knees, Kagome eeped as he moved and wrapped her arms around his neck. "What's this festival thing anyway?"

"The Summer Solstice festival," Kikyou began, "It is to give us a chance to enjoy each others company once more, before we go to work in the fields and when the men go off to hunt and kill demons." Kikyou looked at InuYasha, "You better stick around and see it, we always have so much fun at these. They set up stalls where you play games and buy food and toys and..." Kaede sighed as Kikyou got into the way of things, listing off all of the exiting things they could do.

InuYasha walked away as Kagome and Kikyou began to both get exited, InuYasha went and sat in the window, as the girls ran off to decide what they would wear that evening. That caught his attention, _it was_ that evening. _So_, he thought looking at the moon, _you'll vanish before the day is over. Then I better too._

InuYasha was about to jump out the window when Kagome came back in, "InuYasha, will you stay for the festival?" he shrugged, "Where are you going?"

"I want to look around the town, I can do that right?" He looked over his shoulder to see her nod, the look on her face was that of disappointment, he sighed and looked down at the process of setting up, "I promise I'll see you at the festival." Her face brightened and she disappeared again. _I never said you would see me though. _He jumped down to see if he could maybe help set up before night fall.

* * *

Kagome made her way down the stairs in one of her best dresses, the sleeves were tight around her wrists, with a second sleeve that hung down to about her knees. "Come on Kikyou! We may miss it!" Kagome's dress was several shades of blue and white, Kikyou's was many shades of red, pink and orange, she had a necklace on that had a single pink gem on it. They hurried outside, both of them wearing light colored boots. 

The festival outside the doors were filled with colors as the sun set in the west. Kagome instantly started looking for the red hakama of InuYasha, but she couldn't find him, she supposed he was somewhere deeper in the crowd. The two girls made their way up to Kaede who as announcing the opening of the festival, "Let the festivities begin!" A great cheer went up, "Kagome, Kikyou you look lovely," the girls curtsied, She gave them each a small bag of coins, "That's all you get for now, come find me later if you run out of gold."

Kikyou went off to the games to see if she could win the giant teddy bear that had caught her eye earlier. Kagome began to search more diligently for InuYasha. As the light vanished more lanterns were lit casting many different colors all around them. Kagome caught sight of a red sleeve, she chased after it and grabbed hold of it, "InuYasha!" she looked into a pair of purple eyes, "I'm sorry I thought you were someone else," she bowed in apology, to the young boy, "But the boy I'm looking for has golden eyes and silver hair, not purple eyes and black hair, gomen." She walked away. The boy sighed and walked toward a group of troupers, as they walked on stilts tossing knives from one person to the other, InuYasha felt guilty not telling Kagome that it was him and not someone else, but he didn't really want to tell her.

Kagome found Kouga and they went to many different stalls playing games, and eating treats like candied apples. Kagome could constantly feel eyes on her, but when ever she turned around there was no one there, she thought they felt like InuYasha's but she wasn't sure. "Kouga have you seen InuYasha yet?" The wolf cub shook his head, as his mouth was filled with caramel popcorn, he swallowed this down.

"No, but I've smelled him around, he's around here somewhere," he made a look of concern, "Though he doesn't smell quite right, there's something funny about how he smells."

Kagome laughed slightly, "He doesn't smell right? What do you mean by that?" Then she noticed the red hakama again, on the boy with black hair he was standing nearby glaring at Kouga, "I've never seen that boy before here in the village."

"Well," Kouga began, once more eating something sweet, "Kaede-sama said that many other villages come here, maybe he's from one of them." He looked over his shoulder at him, "He dresses a lot like InuYasha though."

InuYasha walked out of the village to one of the trees just outside, he started the process of climbing up it when there was an explosion of light in the sky, he looked up as the firework went off, amazed at the colors, he continued to climb as more went off, there were cheers from below. He eventually reached a good hight and sat down, he watched as the fire light flooded the sky, he was surprised that this didn't catch the attention of demons around and about, but he shrugged this off. He watched in amazement as the lights danced with so many different colors, they reflected in his eyes as he watched.

_.many years later._

InuYasha stood leaning against the tree, the fireworks explosions hurting his ears even though since his first encounter with them had moved back further into the forest. He flinched as a great one exploded.

"InuYasha!" The firmilar voice called, he sighed, she had found him, again. "InuYasha I asked you to take me with you."

InuYasha jumped down and landed in front of the young women, "Kagome you are a nuisance sometimes." He grabbed her around the waist and jumped up into the tree again, Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck as he jumped higher. When he stopped he sat her down on the branch and leaned against the tree again.

"Why do you always come out here alone?" she asked him, as the fireworks continued.

InuYasha sighed, "It helps so the sound doesn't hurt my ears as much." he stated, Kagome nodded in understanding, "What I don't understand is why do you humans find those fireworks so enjoyable." He knew why it caught his attention, other than the sound the glowing lights always seemed to intrigue him.

Kagome didn't answer, "InuYasha," she looked up at him, he locked eyes with her, "come back to the festival with me."

After several moments of silence from both him and the fireworks, "Keh." He held out a hand and helped her up, she climbed onto his back and they went back down to the ground, then into the village for the festivities.


	6. Headaches and Farewells

**Headaches and Farewells**

Kagome was the first awake the day after the festival, she laid back in her bed and sighed. The night had been enjoyable, until that lecherous monk had found InuYasha and dragged him off for a sake drinking contest. She didn't understand why InuYasha had befriended the monk, it really didn't make any sense.

Miroku, that was his name! She rolled off her bed remembering when he had first come stumbling into their city, it had been night and several of the guards had brought him in for being out after dark. Kikyou had been the one to tend to him, he had been injured by yorikai and had been seeking shelter. Miroku had then stayed in the city for sometime while healing and he himself soon decided to remain. InuYasha hadn't agreed to let him stay, all had quickly found out about his rather lecherous ways, and many were not pleased.

Kaede had had the final word and allowed him to remain, InuYasha tolerated him, and never let one of the monks challenges go unrequited. Kagome opened the door to her room silently and began her way down the hall.

She slowly turned the nob of another of the doors in her home. She slipped in as quietly as she could before closing it behind her. InuYasha laid sprawled out on the guest bed, which had become his room when it had become clear that he didn't plan on leaving. Kagome grinned and walked across the floor, the hanyou mummered something in his sleep, it sounded something like 'Fill your glass again monk!' before he rolled his head to the other side.

Kagome walked around to the unoccupied side of his bed and sat down next to him, "InuYasha." She whispered quitely, he growled and rolled his head again. Kagome leaned forward and put her lips closer to his ear and whispered again, softer. His ear flicked.

In a sudden movement he rolled over and caught Kagome in his arms. She eeped and found herself trapped against the bed and his arms, he growled and fell silent. He was still sleeping. Kagome reached up and rubbed on of the soft ears. She felt a rumble deep in his chest as he began to pur.

"Kagome!" Came a child-like cry from in the hall, Kagome stiffened in InuYasha's arms. The door opened slightly and a small red-headed child poked his head in, "Kagome?"

"Shh, Shippo." She whispered, "InuYasha's still sleeping."

"Oh," he said in equally hushed tones, "Then why are you in here?"

Kagome grinned, "Miroku and InuYasha were drinking again and I was trying to wake him up."

"Won't he be mad?"

"It's called a hang-over, and yes he'll be mad." Kagome stated, "Want to help?"

The kitnuse grinned and nodded. He ran over to the bed and jumped up next to Kagome, he blinked at her position, "How'd you end up like that?"

Kagome smiled, she remembered when they had stumbled across Shippo, he had been separated from his parents. They were still looking for them but while they couldn't find them Shippo was staying with them. "InuYasha rolled over and caught me."

It was one of her favorite things to do. Some mornings she would come in and wake up the hanyou just to try and see what he would do. This seemed like a good oppurtunity to do so. She could recall him coming and jumping on her bed in the mornings when they were younger, it only seemed fair that she returned the favor.

Shippo pulled out a feather and brushed it against InuYasha's cheek, he twitched and growled, but still didn't move. The kit then went a bit higher, running the feather across his temple. He growled again and tried to push what ever the irratent was away from his face, Kagome squirmed out of his arms while Shippo continued to annoy.

InuYasha replaced his arms and felt the absence of whatever had been there before, he growled, then groaned and slowly opened his eyes. Shippo was clinging to one of the four posts around his bed with a grin on his face, Kagome was leaning on the foot board also smiling. "Good morning sleepy head."

He groaned again. "Kagome, why the hell are you doing this to me?" He put his hands over his eyes and rubbed his temples trying to rid himself of his headache. He looked up at the ceiling and blinked, "How did I get here again?"

"Kouga was at the festival." Kagome began non-chalauntly. InuYasha growled at the mention of the wolf yorikai, Kagome ignored and contiued. "After you _and_ Miroku passed out I asked him to bring you back here and take Miroku to one of the other spare rooms."

InuYasha shot up in bed, instantly regretting it, "The monk is in your house?" He asked with a deadly tone to his voice.

"Yes," Kagome stated, "He's sleeping on the futon in the room next to yours." She turned and headed for the door, "Now I'm off to wake him and then go downstairs to see what we have for breakfast."

The hanyou fell back onto his bed, "Its too early for her to be that perky." he groaned and covered his eyes with his arm. He peered out from under his arm and the fox yorikai, "If you're going to stay in here I will have to remove your head." Shippo jumped out of the room calling for Kagome. InuYasha sighed and his ears flattened against his head trying to block out some of the noise, it wasn't that effective.

It only took a few moments for there to be a resounding 'smack' from the room next door. Kagome came back out and saw InuYasha standing and heading for his door, there was a light coloring to her face, "Miroku's awake, you can kick him out now." she said flatly.

InuYasha chuckled, and went into the room where the monk was now sitting on the edge of the futon. He was rubbing a red mark on his face. "I was having the most wonderful dream..." He said quitely to himself.

"Yeah?" InuYasha almost sneered, "Well I hope you enjoyed yourself, now get you ass out of here."

Miroku blinked, "With out breakfast?" he asked in an innocent tone. The other nodded, "That doesn't make it sound as if Kagome is a generous hostess."

"And you groping her makes her...?" InuYasha asked, leaving the sentance hanging.

"One with a very nicely shaped backside if I do," InuYasha's fist made contact with his head, "Yes, well... I assume I'll be leaving then..."

"You letcher." InuYasha growled, "Don't touch Kagome again, got it?"

"What's all this noise?" came a soft and tired voice from the door, "InuYasha, be polite to our guest." Kikyou said softly, she had just woken.

InuYasha 'keh'ed and left the room. Miroku came down the stairs next, Kikyou remained upstairs. She went back into her room and began to collect various items.

Kagome was helping their cook, another women as their last was off for the day with her daughter. InuYasha came down and saw Kouga come walking in the back door, the hanyou growled under his breath, "What are we having for breakfast Kagome?" The wolf yorikai came up behind her and wrap an arm around her waist, Kagome squirmed out of his arm before InuYasha could start another argument.

InuYasha growled again, louder in warning. Kouga looked over at him as if only noticing his entrance, "Oh, its only you, how'd you sleep dog-boy? I didn't get much sleep, there are rumours about that yorikai are comin' from across the mountains. My pack and I have been investigating all night."

InuYasha growled again. Kouga's arm had found it's way around Kagome's waist again. "Get your hands off Kagome wolf shit."

"What are you going to do about it hayou?" Kouga growled back and took a step toward InuYasha taking Kagome with him, pulling her in tight against her chest, "Kagome's my women, and don't you ever,"

"Kagome doesn't belong to you!" InuYasha stood inches before the wolf, Kagome squished between them. "Keep your damn hands off her!"

_"Cut it out!" _Kagome shouted, she pushed them back from eachother and from her. "Kouga, how many times do I have to tell you, I do like you, but only as a friend!" She added quickly as he took a step forward to try and grab her again. "InuYasha," she turned on him, from the look on her face he knew what was about to happen. "Sit!"

The necklace that Kaede had put on him when he was a child suddenly jolted and flung him to the floor, "Damn it girl! I'm not allowed to try and help you?" His claws dug into the floor.

"No," she stated, "When you get up you can go get more fire wood." She turned around and began to slice one of the loaves of bread. After a moment InuYasha managed to pull himself up. He 'keh'ed and shoved his hands into his sleeves. Kagome sighed and turned back around, "Please InuYasha?" He rolled his golden orbs and walked outside.

Shippo came running into the kitchen and jumped up onto Kagome's shoulder, "I think you should be nicer to InuYasha, he was only trying to help."

"Who asked you twirp?" Kouga growled, Shippo eeped and dove into Kagome's arms.

"Kouga shouldn't you be out looking for yorikai?" Kagome asked trying to get the kitchen less crowded. Kouga bowed and said he would return for something to eat later. With that there was only the three of them in the room.

Kagome sighed and put Shippo on the table, "Shippo would you mind setting the table." The kit nodded and jumped over to one of the cubards and opened it, he took out plates and put them onto the counter then jumped down and slid them off onto his hands. He walked them over onto the table, he continued with this with the cups, and other items.

"Kagome, why are you mad?" Shippo asked.

The knife slipped in her hand and cut her fingers, "Shit." She put her fingers in her mouth, but she knew InuYasha was likely to come running in, she pulled her fingers out of her mouth and turned to the kit. "I'm not mad Shippo, I'm..."

InuYasha came into the room with an arm full of wood, he smelled her cut fingers, he sighed and put the wood away, "You need to be more careful." He went over and put the two cut fingers into his mouth and sucked on them for a moment while he produced from his pocket a few thin strips of cloth. He released her fingers and wrapped them gently. "Anything else that you've cut?" He asked softly. Kagome sniffed, he could smell her tears, "Gods Kagome they weren't that bad."

"Kagome what's wrong?" Shippo asked and jumped onto InuYasha's shoulder.

"Kaede and Kikyou are leaving for a while." She whispered, InuYasha's ears pirked, he had forgotten.

"They'll be coming back soon, won't they?" Shippo asked.

"Not for a while, Kikyou has to go to a city across the mountains and train, Kaede is going to escort her with a handful of others. Kaede should come back sooner than Kikyou..." her voice faded.

Shippo jumped onto Kagome and she wrapped her arms around the kit. "Don't worry Kagome, we'll be here with you still."

It wasn't what she was worried about and the hanyou knew it, Kaede and Kikyou were the protectors of the city, with them gone the responcibility would fall on her shoulders, and she wasn't sure if she could fill the space even if it was for a short period of time. "Hey," InuYasha said looking away semi-casually, "I think you'll do fine." Kagome looked away from him back at Shippo, she nodded not sure if he was just saying it to make her feel better. "Besides, Miroku and I'll be here to help if you need anything..."

"Did I hear my name?" the monk in question entered the kitchen, he sniffed, "Mmm... breakfast smell delicious, it would be a shame for it to go to..."

"Take a seat Miroku we had an extra place set for you." Kagome said, once more having her cheerful face on. InuYasha didn't understand how she did it, how she hid everything so deep.

InuYasha's ear twitched, Kaede came into the kitchen, she was no longer as young looking as she once was, but she still had a strong spirit willing to fight. Kikyou came in after her, the hanyou could see her bag on the futon behind her. She was ready to go. Kikyou smiled softly at InuYasha and bowed to him, she took one of the seats, InuYasha pushed her in and then Kagome, who had taken a seat next to her sister. InuYasha leaned against the wall, he didn't care for breakfast, normally eating anything gave him a strange headache.

There was a sharp pain on the back of his neck, he slapped it quickly, a flat flea yorikai floated down onto his other extended hand. "I thought I told you a few thousand times that I'm not this Lord InuYasha your looking for." He growled at the flea.

"But you are! You share the same blood as your father the great Inu-Tashio." Mortuge said again for the thousandth time.

InuYasha's head twinged in pain. He left the room for outside, he jumped up onto the roof and rubbed his temples. "Lord InuYasha I believe you are under some sort of spell that represses all of your memories."

"Shut the hell up!" InuYasha yelled at the flea and pressed his palms hard against either side of his head. Trying to put his head back together. He did have to agree with the flea that it was strange that he couldn't remember anything before the day that he met Kagome and the others. However he couldn't believe that he was this lord of the kingdom across the eastern mountains. Kikyou was going to south, as long as she wasn't going east, there was something there... He didn't know what it was but he knew it was dangerous.

"InuYasha I apologise for all of this, but you must remember, and you must return to your father's lands. Nuraku,"

InuYasha growled loudly, "If you don't shut up I'll kill you myself." His voice a low, and deadly hiss. When ever the flea mentioned that name, Nuraku, every fiber of his being seemed to roar out in hatred.

"InuYasha?" Kagome called out. The hanyou looked down at her through hazy eyes. Tears of pain were rolling from his eyes. "InuYasha what's wrong?" her voice filled with concern.

"My head's killing me." He said hoarsely, before closing his eyes.

After several moments he felt Kagome's gentle fingers brush against the back of his hand. He still hadn't figured out how she had managed to get up there. He put down his hands and let her fingers press gently against his temples. InuYasha's ears were flattened against his head in pain.

Kagome began to slowly move her fingers in small circles and hum a soft song. They had found out quickly that InuYasha's headaches would become worse when he tried to remember something. The girl could lessen them with her abilities. InuYasha laid his head onto her lap as her fingers continued to brush gently along his face. The pain began to dull. Mortuge watched the girl closely, suspicious as to her intentions with his Lord InuYasha.

When the pain became tolerable he began to purr softly. Kagome smiled and didn't stop, she could tell by the scrunched up face he was still in some pain. Moment's later InuYasha opened his eyes and caught hold of Kagome's wrists. "Kagome, what do you know about magic?"

She blinked, "Why?"

"The flea, he said that maybe my memories have been locked away with magic." His ear twitched as he tried to think, Kagome rubbed the twitching digit gently, he closed his eyes again, enjoying the feeling a bit more than he should have.

"I've heard of spells that repress unwanted memories, and ones that bind away things so that you won't remember them." Kagome stated, "In both cases they need someone's consent to let them be locked away." She stopped rubbing his ear and he opened his eyes, "Do you remember when you fell?" The hanyou nodded, "I thought I had heard something before you fell, I wasn't sure of it so I didn't say anything."

"Could... could you undo whatever's been done to me?" He asked softly, not sure he wanted to hear the answer either way.

Kagome shook her head, "You have to have very powerful spiritual energies to bind a memory, even stronger to unlock them, the only one who would be able to unlock your memories is who ever locked them in the first place." InuYasha scowled and looked away, "Or," she continued, he looked back up at her, "If you kill the one who cast it the spell would break."

InuYasha rolled her head on her lap and looked out at the rising sun. _I think you could do it..._ He kept this thought to himself. They stayed that way for a bit, the only change was InuYasha sat up and wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders. "Want to go say goodbye to your sister?" Kagome bit her lip and nodded. "She won't be gone long Kagome, you'll see she'll be back before you know it."

"...Kay." InuYasha picked her up suddenly and jumped down to the ground, he put her down, and told her that he would be back later. Kagome knew he was going to the God Tree, it was where he went to think.

* * *

Kikyou nibbled at her food while the others finished eating. Kagome had told them InuYasha had gone to think. She wondered what about. After a moment she got up from the table and left, Kaede watched her leave, her bag still on the futon. Kaede continued with her preperations. 

Kikyou went to the edge of the village and sighed, she closed her eyes and leaned against one of the trees, she was going to miss this place, she was going to miss everything about it. The change in the seasons, her family, InuYasha, her dearest friend.

Kagome came up behind her sister, "I wish you didn't have to leave." she stated.

"You went there too Kagome," Kikyou stated, Kagome shook her head and said it wasn't the same thing. "It is though. When you were younger you went to train, and we didn't see you for some time as well."

"I don't remember anything that happened there." Kagome whispered to herself, it was true, when ever she tried to draw on something she had learned from her time of training she could feel it was there but it was just out of her reach. "I don't want you to go sister."

Kikyou smiled, "Don't worry so much." She gave her sister a hug and a peck on the cheek, "You'll be fine, InuYasha will be here with you."

"Fat lot of good that'll do me." Kagome said and rolled her eyes, "I just don't think,"

"Then don't," Kikyou stated, "Don't think, just follow what your instincts tell you."

"Kikyou," Kaede came upon the two, she had both of the bags in hand, "We are ready." Kikyou nodded and embraced her sister again, "Take care of yourself Kagome." Kaede told her youngest sister. She nodded and gave her a hug as well. "Don't worry too much I shall return in short time."

"I know," Kagome brushed away the unfallen tears from her eyes, "Just be careful, both of you alright?" Her sisters smiled and nodded. They walked out of the village and began to dissapear into the trees. "Good Luck!" She waved as she finally lost sight of the two, their guard would meet them in another village to the south.

Kagome sighed and turned back toward the village, she felt like a huge weight had been put on her as she looked at all of those in in the village. She sighed and rubbed her temples feeling a slight headache coming on.

* * *

InuYasha leaned back in the God Trees' branches, he sighed and relaxed, Mourtuge was perched nearby, he shifted from foot to foot trying to decide if he wanted to speak or not. "All right out with it flea." InuYasha said rather annoyed, knowing what ever the flea was about to say was going to make his head hurt. 

"InuYasha, I think the wisest course of action at the current time is to go and search out the one who has put this curse on you and have them break it by any means nessary, you are needed elsewhere." Mourtuge watched as InuYasha rubbed one of his temples gently, "It would be a way to elieveate all of your constant headaches."

InuYasha had to agree with that, he wanted to be rid of the headaches they made him feel weak, and not as useful. InuYasha nodded, and closed his eyes again, "I'll go, later..." he whispered to himself.

* * *

Kouga came back into Kagome's home and found her sitting at her table, a cup of steaming liquid in her hands, aparently alone. "Kagome?" 

The girl looked up at him startled, "Oh, Kouga, its you." She sighed and let her shoulders relax. Her eyes went back to her drink, she took a sip.

"What's wrong?" He took a seat next to her.

"Nothing." She lied unconvincingly.

Kouga gave her a skeptical look, "I'm your friend right? Why would you lie to your friend?"

Kagome searched her mind for something that would make him lay off quickly. "Girl problems." She said.

"Don't lie again Kagome, I would be able to smell it if you were in heat." The wolf stated.

Kagome flushed, "Not that kind of girl problem!" Kouga looked toward the door as InuYasha came in. He had a look of confusion and anger on his face.

Ignoring the wolf's presence he looked at Kagome, "Kagome. I've decided something..."

Kagome's heart jumped into her throat, she hoped it wasn't what she thought it was, "Yes?" She asked calmly.

"I'm going to find who ever supressed my memories," he said keeping his head down not looking up at her knowing the look she would have on her face. "I don't want to have missing gaps in my thoughs and I'm sick of these damn headaches!" He growled.

"...oh..." Kagome looked back at her drink, "If that's what you want..." He said that it was, "Good luck then InuYasha." She smiled and got up from the table, she disappeared into one of the other rooms in the house.

The two remaining in the kitchen said nothing, Kouga suddenly growled, "You self-centered son of a bitch!" He rounded on InuYasha, his hands in fists at his sides, "Your just going to up and leave her too now are you?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" InuYasha growled, "I'm not leaving anyone!"

"Don't be stupid, for a minute, even that may be difficult for you," Kouga stated, InuYasha growled and his eyes darkened, "Kikyou and Kaede have just left, leaving Kagome in charge of the protection of this city, by herself!"

"I'm not leaving right now wolf-shit! I'm planning on staying until Kaede gets back!" InuYasha roared at him.

"Well Kagome likely thinks your leaving now!" Kouga shoved InuYasha out the back door and into the dirt.

InuYasha growled but thought about what he had said, no where in his words did he say anything about staying. "Damn it why didn't it come out right..." He mumured to himself. He got up and walked toward Kouga, "Move." He demanded, Kouga was standing in the door blocking his way in.

"No."

"Move. Now." he said with a darker tone.

"No. You don't deserve to enter, you ungreatful," Kouga didn't get to finish, InuYasha jumped up onto one of the window seals and went in through the open window.

He was in Kagome's room, but she wasn't there. He walked out and into the hall, he could hear Kouga grumbling in the kitchen, he didn't care about what. He walked into his own room and found her laying curled up on his bed, he cleared his throat.

Kagome sat up and wiped her face, she knew he likely had already smelled her sadness and her tears but she did so anyways. "I'm sorry I must of stumbled into the wrong room... I go, you better get your stuff..."

InuYasha sat on the bed and pulled her close, "Kagome, I wasn't planning to leave right away," Kagome sniffed back more tears. InuYasha sighed, "I was going to ask you to come with me," She opened her mouth to reply but he continued, "After Kaede comes back, that is when I plan on leaving."

Kagome formed a 'o' with her mouth and said nothing, after a moment she laughed lightly, "You must think I'm a big baby for crying like this."

"Keh, I've seen worse come from you." He grinned, she scowled and hit his arm, "I apologise for worrying you."

"Its alright, Thank you for staying." She said softly, "I don't think I could manage all of this on my own."

"Its only for a few months." InuYasha shrugged. "What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

**Is it just me or are those famous words for having something terrible happen after their said?**

**Anyways, sorry for the prolonged wait, like it says on my profile, my computer pulled a 'death' on me and I lost everything... So look for more updates as I keep working on this. **

**Thanks for Reading, now Review if you would be so kind.**


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